


The One You Feed

by sterekargent



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Based on a Tumblr Post, Blood and Violence, Canonical Character Death, Explicit Sexual Content, Heavy Angst, M/M, Major Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 13:29:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 43,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4139340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sterekargent/pseuds/sterekargent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a Sterek AU by bilesandthesourwolf because lots of people were asking for a fic and I loved it so much that I was inspired enough to write it. You can also watch the trailer here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKizBm6iP2k<br/>---<br/>In a world were human’s are now an endangered species and werewolves have taken over, a resistance is forming. When Peter Hale, a high ranking general in one of the most powerful werewolf packs, learns of the resistance, he sends his nephew, Derek, to infiltrate their camp and bring them down from within. Derek is more than up to the task, ready to prove himself to his uncle and their pack. What Derek wasn’t expecting was to grow to admire the resilience of the humans and their will to fight and live; he definitely wasn’t expecting to fall for their second in command - the loud, obnoxious, sarcastic, smart, witty Stiles Stilinski or that Stiles might just return his affection. What will happen when Stiles discovers Derek is the very creature he’s been raised to hate? Will Derek betray his own pack to save the human he was never supposed to care for? Could their love be the very thing so desperately needed to bring together two warring factions and end a decades old feud?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Sterek AU](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/121314) by bilesandthesourwolf. 



> So it took me ages to write this fic and got writer's block a good few times as I wanted to make sure that it was quite long, which is also the reason I didn't post it chapter by chapter. I also didn't know how often I would update it so I wouldn't want anyone to be waiting really long whilst I wrote it. But hopefully everyone will enjoy reading it and feel that I did a good job by adapting the gifset into a long fanfiction. I also personally don't like fics where Peter Hale is represented as a bad guy but I felt like it was necessary in this. I did try to make up for it, however, with lots of stydia moments that are really sweet and also create angst between Stiles and Derek (fuck yeah) and hopefully gave the fallen characters a much better send-off than they got in the show. Hope you like it...

"I want you to infiltrate their camp," Peter said, standing over the table in his nephew's loft, which was now covered in maps and blueprints. "Bring them down from the inside."  
Derek stood across from him on the opposite side of the table, his arms crossed. "And you still think this is a fool proof plan?"  
Peter sighed. "We've been over it, Derek. You go in through the Far East entrance. They have round-the-clock security and an alarm system that will be tripped so make sure to call for help so that they don't think they're under attack. They'll think you're human like them, as long as you're as good at hiding your powers as you say you are."  
Derek leaned forward and rested his hands on the edge of the table. "Masquerading as a human is not the issue. How am I supposed to earn their trust?"  
"Take Lahey, act like you captured him. Earn their favour."  
Derek shook his head. "No, I can't."  
His uncle merely stood up straighter, asserting his dominance as the leader of their pack. "What do you mean, you can't?"  
The boy looked at him pleadingly. "What if they kill him?"  
"Do I look like I care?"  
Derek slammed his hand down on the table and then turned away, wiping his mouth as if he had tasted something sour. "Isaac is my friend."  
Peter walked round the table to persuade the boy, whose back was still turned. "He's more than that though, isn't he Derek? He's your beta. Just like Boyd and Erica were. And what happened to them? She was torn to shreds on her first full moon and you were made to kill Boyd-"  
Derek turned around, his eyes glowing bright blue, growling viciously as his long teeth snapped at Peter. "Which..." Peter continued, trying not to press the issue, "wasn't your fault."  
While he was as harsh and stern as any leading general of a pack could be, Derek was still his nephew and he didn't want to hurt him. He just wanted to exploit his emotional side, something he did very well. "Just like them setting fire to the house wasn't your fault. Or taking Cora away and hiding her from us for all those years."  
Derek stared at the ground. "Yes. And we killed every single one of them who was responsible for it."  
Peter's eyebrows rose. "You let the Argent girl go."  
Derek looked up at his uncle but the intensity of the stare was too much for him to handle. "Like I said, we killed everyone responsible. Besides she's just a kid."  
"Yes. She was."  
"What?"  
"Oh, you haven't heard?" Peter said more sincerely than it came across.  
Derek looked at him, worried about what he was going to say. "She died a couple of months back."  
Derek may have grown up hating humans, or the ones who hunted their kind at least, the Argents playing a big part in that, but the death of a seventeen year old girl who was born into the lifestyle... That struck a nerve with Derek. "What happened to her?"  
"I’ll spare you details, but apparently they were hunting down a wolf who had killed one of their own and he didn’t like it."  
Derek wanted to speak, but he didn't know what to say, so Peter continued. "You keep talking about how you want to be at the top, Derek, to prove your worth. This is how."  
Derek was silent, his chest moving with each heavy breath of grief and regret. "Can't I take one of the twins? Not that I want anything to happen to them either, but at least I know they can handle it. Isaac had an entire childhood of abuse, submitting him to torture, or whatever else the humans might do... I don't know how he'll cope."  
Peter thought for a moment. "No, I need the twins here. Plus Isaac hates me."  
Derek rolled his eyes. "No uncle, everyone hates you. He's just the only one who'll say it to your face."  
Peter said nothing but his smile was anything but sincere. He did seem to get a kick out of making people hate him though, as twisted as it sounded.  
"Fine," Derek said finally, looking Peter in the eyes. "I'll do it."  
"Good," Peter nodded, walking away, as if he always knew he'd win Derek over.  
"But on my terms."  
Peter snapped his head back around to face his nephew. He thought about yelling at him to not push his luck, but he composed himself. "Alright," he began, shooting Derek a quizzical look. "I'll bite."  
"Very funny."  
\---  
The compound was exactly how Peter had described it and getting in was definitely the easy part. The East entrance was never locked, for some peculiar reason, but Peter had concluded that it was because there was an alarm system that would be tripped should there be a security breach. Upon looking into it, he’d discovered that there were other humans who were attempting to run away from wolves and seek refuge at the camp, but were torn to pieces before they could unlock the doors from the inside. There was a shelter above the doors, which had small windows, through which Derek could see a room with various windows, which looked like an infirmary, and two boys speaking and seemingly standing guard.  
"Are you ready?" Derek asked Isaac as he placed the shackles around his hands and locked them. Isaac was silent and the cold evening air was thick and foggy which only put Derek more on edge. "Don't get excited now," Derek said as he crouched down to chain the shackles on Isaac's feet while the beta spoke.  
"Wouldn't dream of it. And other than having to face the prospect of my imminent death, yeah I'm ready."  
Derek stood up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hey. I said I'd agree to Peter's plan but only on my terms. And I am not going to let them kill you, okay? Maim and injure you maybe, but not kill."  
Isaac nodded. "Thanks, thanks for that. Really reassuring. I'd hug you but, you know, my hands are tied. Or chained rather."  
Derek nodded to Isaac, who then punched him in the face (all part of the plan, of course), and Derek started calling for help, pulling Isaac along by the chain as he burst through the door, setting off the alarm. Moments passed until the two boys came running round the corner carrying guns. Derek knew he recognised the slightly more muscular one from somewhere but he couldn't put his finger on where. "Don't shoot," Derek shouted again running slowly as if he'd been badly injured in an attack.  
They put down their guns and one of them disabled the alarm while the other helped Derek drag Isaac into a cage and shut the lock, the beta continuing to hit against the side of it, his bright yellow eyes glowing under the dim kerosene lamps. They exited the room and locked the door, the sound of Isaac's growls blocked out by the strength of the door. That, along with the cage, only made Derek worry about what they used the room for. "Come in here, we'll get you some ice," the other one said as he lead him into what appeared to be the infirmary and sat him on one of the metal slabs.  
"Thank you," Derek said out of breath and holding his rib to give the impression that he was hurt. The side of his face was bruised from Isaac's punch. He hardly hit him at all, but it was hard enough to make his lip bleed.  
"What happened?" the lankier boy, the one he didn't recognise, asked, slightly out of breath from the struggle.  
"His pack attacked our camp. They killed them all, I'm the only one who got out," he huffed, letting go of his supposedly injured rib and sitting up straighter.  
The lankier boy brought him an ice pack and some water while saying, "Why didn't you kill him?"  
Derek finished gulping the water and placed the ice pack on his ribs as he looked the boy up and down. "He's useful."  
The vagueness of Derek's answers was starting to anger the boy he recognised, possibly the reason the dots finally connected. Scott. That was his name. He was the hunter that was with the Argents the day he killed Kate and her lackeys. The day he let Allison go. And now she was dead. Derek swallowed uneasily. He now understood why the boy was so stern looking, why he looked so drained and tired and let the other one do the talking. He decided it was the time to butt in at this point, however. "How is he useful, he's just another monster?" the boy said dryly, forcing Derek to bite his tongue.  
He hated his kind being talked about like that. He hated that he was forced to grow up hating humans when instead he saw the feud as completely futile. But he tried his best to understand Scott's pain. It wasn't much different to the pain he had felt over his whole family and how he sought out to avenge them. "You're just gonna have to trust me," Derek said calmly.  
Scott nodded and turned around, guiding the other boy slightly away from him to talk privately. "How do we know we can trust him?" Derek heard Scott ask.  
"We don't," the boy replied.  
Derek didn't want to blow his cover, what with the whole werewolf hearing, but he felt like he had to step in. "Thought you'd say that," Derek said abruptly, causing the boys to turn their heads. "Which is why I brought you something," the wolf continued, gesturing at the room Isaac was now locked in.  
Lanky chuckled. "Yeah well if he's not really any use to us then I don't see why we should-"  
"His pack was sent by the man at the top, Peter Hale," Derek interrupted, fed up with the boy's snark. "If we get him to talk we can find out where he is. We can take them all down."  
Lanky folded his arms and leaned back against the table. "What makes you think he's gonna talk?"  
Derek's eyebrows rose. "There are ways."  
Scott nodded and said something to the other boy that Derek didn't really understand. He kept saying things like 'Section C' and 'Tertiary rotation system' to which the other boy groaned loudly before pointing at Derek. "You," he said sternly but hesitated as if asking his name. "Derek."  
Stiles nodded. "Okay Derek, come with me."  
\---  
They were both walking down a long dark corridor, as it was the evening, as the boy lead Derek to his room. There seemed to be a few lights flickering and making noise but other than that the only sounds were of Derek's wet shoes squelching on the hall floor. Derek had never felt so awkward in his life and he was the type of person who was content in complete silence. But he was sent here for a reason, which meant he had to earn their trust somehow and if it meant getting friendly with the second in command, the lanky, sarcastic boy he was currently walking with, so be it. "So where exactly are we going?"  
Lanky turned around slightly but kept walking. "I'm showing you to your room."  
Derek nodded. "And why did it have to be so far away?"  
"Well, there's one room per section and each one rooms two people and the ones nearest to the East entrance are all full." The boy paused, his walking slowing for a moment, "except for Scott's."  
The only thing Derek could say to that was, "I see," so he decided to change the subject. "You know I never actually got your name."  
The boy simply said, "Mhm."  
"Would you like to tell me?" Derek pressed which just made the boy sigh in, what sounded like, annoyance.  
"Stiles."  
Stiles. Interesting, Derek thought. "Is that like a nickname or..."  
Stiles just sighed. "Yes, Derek, it's a nickname."  
Derek didn't say another word. That was until the silence was too awkward not to break it. "So, Stiles what exactly did Sc- your friend mean by secondary rotation or whatever?"  
The boy chuckled again, a sound Derek had deemed as annoying. This time, however, it was a blessing. Derek realised too late that Stiles hadn't actually said who Scott was even though Derek already knew. "It basically means we all have to move around to suit you, sweetheart," the boy said, still facing forward as he rounded a corner.  
Derek's eyebrows rose in shock and he stood there frozen for a moment; he was certainly not expecting that. But he was also very intrigued. Once he caught up with the boy he found him standing holding a door open. "So, unfortunately, you're in here with-"  
"A hyperactive maniac by the looks of it," Derek interrupted as he walked in and traced his finger along a line of red string that connected two newspaper articles. The whole wall was littered with them, in fact, all about different werewolf attacks. He was in such deep thought that he almost didn't hear Stiles say, "Gee, thanks."  
Derek spun around to look at the boy. He looked between him and the wall as the boy nodded. "Oh, sorry."  
Stiles walked over to the wall with him. "It's cool. I mean a lot of people might think that it's a bit... I don't know, over the top. But I just think it's necessary to keep on top of things you know. Especially in light of recent events."  
He said the last part more quietly, so Derek turned to face him. He wasn't so much shocked that he was sad, for Scott's loss at least, but Derek knew there was something else there. They must have been friends too. He went to say something but Stiles interrupted him. "Just wait here, I'll get you some clothes and stuff," and like that he was gone.  
Derek saw two beds, one of which was made up neatly at the back of the room and the other on the right, up against the wall that was covered with books and articles and decided that the free one must be his. He sat down and reached down to unlace his boots and then took off his jacket. There was a table next to the door and further into the room was the wall with all the articles across from the bed where Derek was sat. It was a fairly small room, almost homely in a way. But Derek didn't feel at home. He wasn't there to fit in. He was the Trojan horse and the members of his pack were the enemy warriors.


	2. Chapter 2

When Stiles returned, Derek was lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling and so swung round and sat up, to keep up appearances in some bizarre sort of way. Stiles merely rolled his eyes. "I got you a few things," he said chucking a duffel bag of plain clothes at him before crossing his arms and leaning against the door. "Sorry, it's not much. Oh and umm... That's kind of my bed."  
Derek looked at him apologetically. "Oh sorry, I just thought because of the books and stuff... I'll move," he said awkwardly, standing up.  
"No it's fine, we've already compromised everything, what more is a bed, right?"  
Stiles put his hands in his pockets and turned around but Derek wouldn't let him leave. "You really don't like me, do you?"  
That made Stiles turn around. "I didn't say that."  
"Well do you?" Derek reiterated, his eyebrows rose.  
Stiles folded his arms again. For someone with a seemingly small frame he had quite muscular arms. The boy merely shrugged. "I don't know you."  
"Well you could get to."  
There it was again, his little chuckle. "I think I'm alright for now. Anyway curfew was an hour ago so you should rest. There's a first aid kit in the bag if you need anything. I'll be back in a bit."  
And then he was gone again.  
\---  
The next morning Derek woke up to his psychopath of a roommate running around, assembling paper with string and sticking this and that all over the place. He'd fallen asleep so quickly the night before, he hadn't heard Stiles sneak back into the room. That didn't mean he wasn't exhausted. The boy groaned into his pillow which caught Stiles' attention. "Good, you're up. Morning sunshine. Better hurry up and get dressed, breakfast is in five minutes."  
Derek peeled himself off the mattress and sat up, looking down into the duffel Stiles had brought him. He put on a new pair of jeans from the bag and pulled his shirt over his head. Then he remembered the indiscreet image of the triskele singed into his back. He didn't know how much the humans knew about werewolves or if anyone could make the link but if someone were to do it, it would be Stiles. So he had to do the unpleasant thing and made sure to stay facing the boy who not so subtly averted his eyes when he caught Derek's eye contact. That was after about thirty seconds of looking at the boy's physique while he chose a new t-shirt. He finished tying a piece of string onto the end of a pin as Derek sat back down on the bed and laced up his boots. Derek stood up and walked over to look at the wall. He didn't think it could get any busier than it was last night. He was wrong. His train of thought was interrupted by Stiles slapping him on the back. "Hope you're hungry."  
The walk to the canteen only took about two minutes but, by the time they got there, it felt as though Stiles had been talking for about an hour. He went through the schedule of the day and the various precautions but also stated that, due to Scott's crappy orders, he had to stay with Stiles at all times. Great, Derek thought. When they got to the dimly lit canteen, the atmosphere was dull and hardly anyone was speaking. There were about thirty people in there. Thirty. Derek knew there were other camps, about seven or so more. But this was supposed to be the main camp. This may be the race Derek was brought up to hate, but he couldn't quite comprehend the thought of them all dying out. When Stiles spotted Scott in the corner of the room, he yelled his name but then realised that he was on the phone to someone. He caught Stiles out of the corner of his eye and waved to him which Stiles returned with a nod. He was going to go over but Scott seemed pretty distressed about something so instead he grabbed two trays and handed one to Derek who lined up for food behind him. "Morning Bobby," Stiles said as he held out his tray.  
"Alright Stilinski," the dark haired man said, with an overly enthusiastic voice, and then looked at Derek. "New recruit?"  
Stiles looked at Derek too, for some bizarre reason. It was like he didn't even know who he was. "Sort of," was all he said to that. "You on your own behind there today then?"  
"Danny's coming later."  
Stiles smiled at that. "Oh great. Make sure to say hey from me."  
Bobby nodded. "And I'll make sure to tell you the two words that he replies with every day. I’ll give you a hint, the second one's off."  
Stiles shrugged off the comment like he didn't care. Once they finished getting their food and Stiles finished speaking to Bobby, his eyes scanned the room. "Who's that?" Derek asked, pointing at an empty table with a girl sitting in the corner.  
The girl had strawberry blonde hair that was dishevelled and dark yet neat eye makeup, considering it was the morning. She was wearing an oversized grey jumper and she moved her food around the plate, poking at it with her fork like she'd been doing for the last two minutes. "That, my friend, is Lydia," Stiles said, sighing, as he started walking towards her.  
When they reached the table Stiles sat opposite Lydia and Derek sat next to him. "Hey, Lydia."  
"Hey," she replied, not rudely but in a sort of uninterested way.  
Stiles watched her as she continued to poke at her food. "You gotta eat something, Lydia," the boy said finally.  
"I'm not hungry," the girl said as she put down the fork and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.  
That's when a dark haired boy with piercing blue eyes walking by holding his tray of food stopped and smiled at Lydia then looked between Stiles and Derek. "What's up Stiles? This your new squeeze?"  
Stiles laughed sarcastically. "Very funny, Whittemore. Have you ever thought of comedy as a profession? I'm sure daddy, sorry that’s right, foster daddy, could buy you a comedy club or two. And then, you know pay the audience members to laugh."  
The boy smiled back at him. "Nah, not my style. Plus comic relief is kind of your thing right? Considering you aren't much good at anything else around here."  
Stiles went to speak again but the boy simply smirked and turned to Lydia, bending down to say something to her. "You know I'm gonna need that back, sooner or later," he said referring to the jumper that she was wearing.  
The boy had spoken quietly but not quietly enough to keep it confidential between the two of them. Lydia blushed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The boy sensed the tension at the table as his eyes looked from Lydia to Stiles to this new guy he didn't know, back to Lydia who refused to meet his eye contact. "I'll catch you later," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently, looking back at Stiles who glared at him until he walked away.  
"Jackson? Really, Lydia? You're back with him?"  
The girl sighed. "I'm not with anyone, Stiles."  
"Do you remember what happened last time, Lydia. Because I do. He left you broken hearted when he moved to London and I was the one who had to pick up the pieces."  
Lydia slammed her fists on the table as she stood up and leaned in so Stiles could hear what she had to say very clearly. Of course everyone in the canteen had turned to look anyway. "I don't need you to take care of me Stiles, okay? I'm not your property. As far as I'm concerned what I do and who I sleep with is none of your business, so back off."  
She walked away after that, leaving Stiles feeling absolutely humiliated. Derek felt so awkward, even more so than he had at any time in the past 10 hours, which he was sure was not possible. "You okay?" he asked timidly.  
"I'm fine," Stiles said, not looking up from his plate.  
Derek knew he had to tread carefully, but he was never very sensitive about that kind of thing. "I'm sensing a bit of jealousy here."  
Stiles looked at him with a look that Derek hadn't seen on the boy, it was anger. "Well keep your senses to yourself.."  
Having eaten about two bites of his toast, he stood up as if he was going to leave. "What about having to stick with you at all times?" Derek said before he walked away.  
"Follow me and I'll punch you in the face," Stiles replied before leaving the canteen. He knew it probably wasn't the best thing to do and he felt bad about leaving Derek there. But he had to get away. At a loss, Derek looked around, as if searching for somewhere to go. That's when Scott spotted him. He walked over to the table and pointed at Stiles' tray of food as if asking where he'd gone. "There was some drama with his friend, Lydia. And he kind of stormed off."  
Scott nodded thoughtfully while Derek just sat there awkwardly. "Stressful phone call?" he asked in order to break the silence.  
"Ugh," the boy said as he ruffled his hair and sat down in the seat where Lydia was sat, "you have no idea. It was uh... It was Chris."  
Derek looked at him blankly. "Chris Argent," the boy elaborated.  
Chris Argent. The brother of the woman who murdered his family. The woman who he killed. The man whose wife was forced to kill herself when Derek turned her after she had tried to kill him first. The father of the girl who was born into a poisonous family. The girl who died fighting a fight that wasn't hers, or any of the kids that Derek saw around him. The girl who loved the boy sitting opposite him. "The werewolf hunter? Well I mean, the famous one?" Derek questioned Scott, attempting to act as innocent as possible.  
Scott simply nodded. "Not so much anymore. He was just checking up on everything, making sure we're all okay."  
Derek looked at the boy. He wasn't presented as badly as Derek would have imagined for a boy whose world was currently falling apart. Although the dark circles under his eyes showed that he wasn't getting much sleep. "And are you okay?"  
"Well no one can get through to Lydia, Stiles hasn't been himself for months and I don't even want to talk to Jackson right now. You don't even know him do you? I mean I'd introduce you but what's the point."  
"But what about you, Scott?"  
Scott was almost taken aback by the question. "I'm fine, I'm... I'm coping. Just trying to hold everything together, you know."  
Derek nodded apologetically. "You don't have to do it all on your own you know. It's alright to accept help."  
Scott chuckled and even sounded a bit like Stiles. "From you? No offence but I don't even know you, Derek."  
Scott wasn't being rude, he truly wasn't, he just knew he couldn't trust anyone now. He always had to watch his back. "I know but, well for one thing I'm older."  
"How old are you?"  
"I’m twenty. And it sounds patronising but I just mean I'm not so bothered about having time with friends, especially since I don't have any here. But for you guys..." Derek paused. "I don't know. It just seems like it's the time for you to all stick together. Now more than ever."  
"You're right. Sorry, it's just been a crazy past couple of weeks."  
Derek nodded. Scott saw Stiles' full plate of food and perked up, drumming his fingers on the table while saying, "Well if he's not gonna have this..." as he pulled the tray towards him.  
"You didn't get breakfast?" Derek asked as Scott dug into the food.  
Scott shook his head. "I always come in early and wait until everyone has eaten to get some food but Chris called and I got waylaid."  
Derek nodded then moved up one seat to be directly opposite Scott as they both ate together. "So you and Stiles have been friends for a long time I take it."  
Scott chuckled. "What gave it away?" the boy asked as he shovelled scrambled egg into his mouth.  
"Well that for one thing. You guys have a really similar laugh. It's pretty creepy."  
Scott smiled at that. "Yeah we've been friends for practically our whole lives."  
"And I'm guessing he's been in love with Lydia for that long too."  
The younger boy looked at Derek, a perplexed look on his face. The thing is, Derek was just as confused about what he had said. He had no idea where that came from. Scott coughed quietly to conceal his sudden shock.  
"Uhh, yeah kind of. I mean when we first met her she was with Jackson but Stiles had always had an intense crush on her. I'm pretty sure it's gone now though."  
Derek shook his head. "You should've seen what just happened."  
"Well if it's to do with Jackson, I already know. But I just think Stiles is trying to look out for her, honestly."  
Derek was thoughtful, but he didn't know how much he believed that. He trusted Scott, though. The boy seemed to have that sense about him. They'd only just met and yet he had just completely opened up in front of him. It was a different Scott to the one he had met last night. It was refreshing to be so trusting of someone he'd just met, especially when Derek had been taught to be wary of everyone, let alone humans. "I was wondering, Scott, can I see the beta?"  
Scott's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"  
Derek cleared his throat, an automatic response to his need to buy time and search for an answer. "I just think if we're ever gonna get anything out of him we need to start sooner rather than later."  
"Fine," Scott said before Derek even had the chance to process it. "We'll go talk to him tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

Derek hadn't seen Stiles for the rest of that day until Stiles came sneaking into the room after midnight. He'd stayed with Scott most of the day, talking about the people in the camp, just waiting it out. When the next morning came Derek was up and out of the room before Stiles had even gotten out of bed, walking to the meeting point he and Scott had arranged. "Hey," Scott said as Derek approached. "So breakfast doesn't usually start until 7:30 but I pulled a few strings and Bobby has a plate of food ready for us. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can go see the beta."  
"Got it," Derek replied, he wasn't going to argue with that.   
Isaac was sat cross legged inside the narrow square of a cage in a room just by the East entrance when Scott and Derek walked in. He was back in human form now, which shocked Scott a little. He forgot that under the fur and sharp teeth, there was a human too. But he didn't care.  
"So, ready to talk yet?" Scott asked as he folded his arms and sat in the chair in front of the cage.  
The beta looked at him, his eyes narrowing.   
"I'll take that as a no. See, the thing is, we need information."  
Isaac tilted his head. In all honesty he didn't know how to respond to anything, but he loved toying with this guy. "What kind of information exactly?"  
Scott uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. "Whatever you're willing to give us."  
Isaac just shook his head. "Well you're out of luck because I don't know anything."  
Scott chuckled. His smile was different, wicked even, and it scared Derek. This was not the innocent boy that he had seen just months ago. "That's funny. See because, my sources tell me otherwise."  
Isaac nodded and leaned forward as if going to offer some kind of information, and so Scott also leaned in, waiting for his answer. "Well then your sources would also be wrong."  
Before Derek could say anything Scott leapt up and banged the front of the cage, which made Isaac back off. Derek stepped forward and put a hand on Scott's chest pulling him away. "Hey, hey, just calm down."  
Scott moved back but kept his gaze on Isaac for a while, anger in his eyes, until he gave up and looked to the floor, exhaling deeply as he did so. Then he looked back up at Derek. "I think it's probably time for you to use those ways you were talking about."  
"Okay. Okay I can do that. Why don't you go take a breather? Go back to your room, have a rest. I can handle this."   
Scott shook his head. "No it's fine."  
"Scott I wasn't asking. You look like hell, just go get some sleep and I'll get Stiles to check up on you. Or better yet go find him, I'm sure he could use the company."  
The boy thought for a while but then rubbed his face with both hands whilst nodding. "You're right. Here’s the key, make sure you lock up after and give it to me later. And just... Get him to talk."  
"I will," Derek said with the utmost conviction.  
And he wished it could be true. The guy had spent a day in the company of this boy and yet wished he could help him in some way. Wished he could tell him about all the packs and help them attack. But there was no ending the feud. And he had to protect Cora, protect his kind. Didn't he?   
Once the door shut and Scott was gone, Isaac breathed a deep audible sigh of relief and then chuckled. "It's good to see you, man."  
Derek sat in the chair. "I'm so sorry Isaac, I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must have been in that cage all night."  
"Well I was locked in a freezer for the majority of my childhood so a square cage and dim lighting isn't too bad."  
Derek frowned. "Oh come on, Derek, I can't have you going soft on me now," the beta continued.   
The older boy simply nodded. "Glad to see your witty humour hasn't been spoilt by your encasement."  
"What's up with crooked jaw anyway?" Isaac questioned Derek.  
"Who, Scott? Believe or not he's usually quite calm."  
Isaac just sighed. "That shows what a stupid feud does to people."  
Derek shook his head, looking down at the floor. "Actually, it's more to do with his girlfriend being killed. Allison."  
Isaac shrugged as if he didn't know whether the name should mean something to him or not. "Allison Argent," Derek amended.  
"Right. The niece of the werewolf hunter we murdered."  
"We didn't do anything," Derek reassured him. "It was Peter who slit her throat. You're in the clear, Isaac."  
Isaac nodded. "So how long am I gonna be in here? Not that I'm complaining of course, just wondering."  
Derek shrugged. "Supposed to be a week, right? But, hey, listen, if you get too restless I'll bust you out of here myself," he said as the boy chuckled.  
The pair spoke for a while and Derek told him all about the events of the morning, about Stiles, Lydia, that asshole Jackson, who actually did nothing wrong but he just rubbed Derek up the wrong way. By the time Derek had stopped talking, an hour or so had passed.  
"I'll check in with you later, okay? I think I need to see Scott for something anyway. Man, I thought our system was weird," the boy said getting up.  
They both laughed. "Hey Derek," Isaac said before he opened the door. "Remember. Four-thirty. Sharp."  
Derek nodded and left. He bumped into Lydia on his way back to the canteen who notified him that lunch was in an hour. He asked if the girl knew where Stiles was to which the girl merely retorted with, "How am I supposed to know? I'm not his keeper."   
The conversation ended just as quickly as it had started as the girl disappeared round a corner so Derek went back to his room in search of the boy but he wasn't there. The next thing Derek knew, he was being roused by his alarm going off to alert him that it was time for lunch. He made his way back to the canteen, taking a few wrong turns along the way, but he got there eventually. He looked around for Stiles, but there was no sign of him, so he got his food and sat down. He hadn't been that hungry in the morning, but for some reason he was starving now. He feared it might be because of his inability to shift into wolf form, bringing out his animal side. He concluded that he probably just hadn't eaten anything but pot noodles or cold pizza for the last few months. He was shovelling pasta salad into his mouth when all of a sudden his lanky new best friend sat opposite him. "Where the hell have you been?" Derek said calmly, wiping his mouth with a napkin.   
Stiles sighed and leaned his elbow on the table, resting his head on his fist. "Taking a breather."  
Derek raised his eyebrow. "For a day and a half?"  
Stiles shrugged, thankfully understanding Derek's sarcasm. "It's good to get out sometimes. And, look, I know I was supposed to show you the ropes and that it doesn't excuse deserting you but-"   
He was going to carry on but Derek just shook his head. "It's fine, don't worry about it. Scott helped me out."  
"Seriously?" Stiles asked, his eyebrows rose.  
"He is sort of your leader, isn't he?" Derek replied.  
Stiles shook his head. "No, I mean you seriously forgive me?"  
"Yes?" Derek questioned him, unintentionally mimicking the younger boy's look of confusion and inquisitive tone of voice.   
"Wow, okay," Stiles said and continued to look at Derek, who still shared the boy's perplexed expression.   
"What?" Derek asked.  
"Well I wasn't really planning on you being so forgiving," Stiles said, leaning back in his chair. "I had a speech prepared and everything."  
"Go on then," Derek teased before spooning some salad into his mouth.   
Stiles merely narrowed his eyes at Derek. "Nah, the moment's passed."   
Derek smiled as he chewed the remainder of his lunch, some of which Stiles stole of his plate because he was apparently too lazy and not hungry enough to get his a tray of his own. "Where's Scotty anyway?"  
"Probably in his room. I told him to go take a rest. He was kind of..."   
Stiles sensed some awkwardness from Derek and pressed him to carry on. "It's just, you know him better than I do... But I get the sense that he puts on a brave face, when on the inside you can see he's pretty much..."  
"Broken?" Stiles offered.  
Derek nodded.  
"Yeah," Stiles said so quietly that Derek might not have heard him had they not been sat opposite each other. "I see it too... I can show you why, if you want."  
"What?" Derek asked.  
"The articles on my wall. There's a reason they're all there. I can explain it all to you."   
Derek looked at his watch, to make sure he'd have enough time before what Isaac had reminded him to do. "Unless you have somewhere to be of course," the younger boy jested.  
"No, not at all. Show me."


	4. Chapter 4

"Everything on this side of the wall is from the last three years. Fights, attacks, anything along those lines."   
Derek stood next to Stiles who was tracing his fingers along the strings on the wall. "What about this side?"  
"Well, every article on this side is linked to the death of someone important to the people in this camp. The one linked to Scott.. Is right here," Stiles said lifting an article about a mild werewolf killing to reveal an article from two years prior, the heading of which read Six Nurses Brutally Murdered in Werewolf Bloodbath at Beacons Hills Memorial Hospital.   
"I'm assuming this is about his mother," Derek enquired and Stiles nodded. "What about his father?"  
"Ahh no, he's gone. I mean he's alive he's just not around anymore. But that's a whole other story."   
Derek said nothing so Stiles continued. "Anyway, his mom was one of the nurses at the hospital. Apparently there was this man with a cane and glasses on, pretending to be a blind guy who actually turned out to be a werewolf. I don't know if there's any truth to this but, the people who got out alive said he was specifically looking for her, Scott's mom, that he needed to find her. He supposedly asked her to take him to Scott and, when she didn't, he slashed her throat. Or at least that's what the witnesses said."  
Stiles pointed at the interview section of the article; the witnesses said that the werewolf masquerading as an old blind man was requesting audience with one, Melissa McCall who he managed to track down and then threatened to kill should she not take him to her 15 year old son. Witnesses say his exact words were "Take me to Scott or I'll have to rip out that pretty throat of yours." As any mother would she protected her son and as a result, the wolf slashed her throat. He left after killing a further two nurses after Ms McCall in cold blood.  
"Why would he be looking for Scott?" Derek asked abruptly which caught Stiles off guard.   
He didn't react too shocked, however, considering the information would be disturbing to anyone. "We don't know," Stiles said sitting down on the bed opposite the wall. "At first we thought it was to get to the Argents but Scott had only just met Allison and Chris never told us anything about this guy that would make us think that."   
Derek's eyes narrowed as he skim read the article. "Is there a possibility he was lying?"  
Stiles shifted on the bed. "Well sure, but I don't see why he would considering it would stop Scott from beating himself up about potentially causing his mother's death. Not that he knows any of that of course. Why do you think I have it covered with other articles?"   
Derek remained silent which made Stiles focus on him. "Why, do you know something?"   
The older boy realised he was staring intently at the wall and so uncrossed his arms and sat beside Stiles. "No, of course not. It just seems odd is all."  
But he was lying. He knew exactly who the wolf was. And he knew that Gerard Argent was the one who blinded him. He'd just always assumed that Chris Argent knew about him. Maybe he didn't. Or maybe he was lying. Derek couldn't quite figure out which he believed to be true.   
"Tell me about it," Stiles huffed, running his hands through his hair and snapping Derek out of his daze.   
"What about you?" Derek asked.  
Stiles looked up at him. "What?"   
"You know, what's your story? Why are you here?"  
The boy simply shook his head. "Well it was fairly newsworthy. But it's not up on the wall..." Stiles trailed off, his eyes moving across the room. "You know what it doesn't even matter, I'm just here to support my friends in this... Losing battle," Stiles said glumly, throwing a piece of scrunched up paper in the bin.  
Derek was perplexed by what he had just said. This morning he'd woken up to him frantically sorting out articles and now all he could see was someone who was defeated. "Why is it a losing battle?"   
Stiles stood up suddenly which took Derek by surprise. "Come on, man. I mean we have guns and ammo but do we even know what we're fighting? We're going up against monsters for God's sake."  
Derek shifted uncomfortably, but bit his lip. He had to stop and remind himself that this boy had been brought up to hate their kind, just like Derek had with the humans. "Everyone expects to just kill them all and come out on top but it's not gonna happen. If we just..."  
"Just what?" Derek prompted him when he didn't finish.  
Before Stiles could speak however, a beeping started going off. It was Derek's watch, warning him that it was already 4:30. "I'm sorry," Derek said trying to switch it off. "What were you going to say?"   
"It doesn't matter. You gotta be somewhere?" Stiles asked pointing at the source of the beeping.  
His watch continued to go off until he finally managed to stop it. "I'm so sorry. I'll be back in a flash," Derek said standing up.   
"It's fine," Stiles said turning away.  
Derek felt like crap for leaving like that but he really had to go, even if Stiles had just started to open up to him.   
"Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."   
Stiles continued to look out of the window silently, his arms crossed. He only turned around when Derek shut the door.  
\---  
"You're late," Peter said as Derek approached the forest by the compound where he was meeting his uncle.  
"I know. I was... Bonding."  
Peter rolled his eyes. "I didn't send you here to bond with humans I sent you here to earn their trust and figure out a way of getting us in so we can take them down."  
Derek nodded. "Which I will. And I'm sure I've already earned the trust of the troop leader. I just need to get on the side of the mastermind behind the operations. Who just so happens to be my roommate."  
Peter's eyes widened. "Well it seems like you're fairly on track. My apologies. I hope there's nothing else to report."   
Derek's mind flew back to what Stiles had told him about Scott's mom. "Well Isaac's holding up okay."  
"Then why do you look so worried," the alpha prodded.  
After a long pause and a lot of awkward eye contact, or lack of on Derek's part, the boy spoke. "There's something you should know about the troop leader, Scott McCall."  
Peter straightened up as if the mentioning of his name unnerved him but he remained silent so Derek continued. "The second in command, also his best friend, told me about him, about his mother's death. She was working at a hospital and apparently a wolf came in and killed all the nurses there."  
Peter folded his arms. "So it was a werewolf attack. I'm failing to see the importance of this."  
Derek huffed at his uncle's impatience. "It was Deucalion."   
That caught his attention. "I see-"  
"That's not all," Derek continued. "Apparently, he was there for a reason. The other five nurses he killed, that was just to get them out of the way. He was looking for the boy's mom specifically."   
"Why?"  
"To get to Scott."   
Peter's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"  
"That's what eyewitnesses said. That he was asking specifically for her and then killed her when she wouldn't take him to Scott."  
"Does he know that?"  
"No. The boy made it clear that he hadn't been told."  
Peter stood there silently before moving forward and placing a hand on Derek's shoulder. "Find us a way in Derek. You have four more days."  
The beta went to speak again, ask what Peter knew, but his uncle was already moving around the corner and he didn't turn back.  
\---  
"Where have you been?" Stiles asked Derek as he walked into the room  
The boy was still sat on the bed and didn't seem to have moved much at all which was weird for him, the hyperactive spaz he was.   
"Taking a breather."  
"For half an hour?"  
Derek paused. "Guess I have a lot going on."  
Stiles chuckled again but this time Derek didn't find it charming. "What exactly do you have going on?" Stiles said, more bitterly than he had intended, and then got up and walked over to the wall.  
Derek had no idea where his anger came from, most probably from the fact that Peter told him nothing, but that comment pushed him over the edge. He grabbed Stiles shoulder and spun him round to shove him against the wall. "I didn't ask to be here, okay? My camp was attacked and this is the first place I could run to. You think I haven't seen people die before? You think I haven't experienced grief? Believe me kid I've seen things you couldn't even imagine, so I don't think I need to be patronised by a sarcastic little teenager."  
Stiles was about to retaliate but was interrupted by a knock on the door and Scott's voice from the other side saying, "Stiles, open up! I need you in the East block."  
Stiles shoved Derek away and walked to the door. "Stay here. And try not to break anything."   
The boy left and Derek just stood there. He had no idea how to gain the boy's trust and everything he did just made him angrier. Five more days of this.   
\---  
Derek was jolted awake by a piercing alarm and flashing red light. Before he could get to grips with his surroundings, Stiles leapt out of bed and ran to his radio. "Scott what's up?"   
"System's been tripped. Means someone's trying to get in. Get to the East entrance stat."   
"Got it," Stiles said as he went to put down the radio.  
Derek looked at the time, 1:27. He got up and put on his jeans, which was lucky as Scott requested that he accompany them.  
"Oh! And Stiles, bring Derek too. Get him a gun."   
"Will do," he said as he pulled out a duffel from under the bed and threw a shotgun onto Derek's bed, who was now up on his feet and trying to get into his shoes. "Know how to use it?"  
Derek raised his eyebrows at the boy. "Good. Follow me then."   
He picked up his own gun, slipped on his trainers and ran out the door. When they got to the East entrance everyone was there, Scott in the middle with Lydia beside him. Derek couldn't see Jackson. They could hear people running and stood motionless, waiting for them to round the corner, guns in hand, ready for an attack. When they saw them approaching they rose their guns and Derek mimicked their actions. That was until he saw that one of them had his arm round the other who was struggling to keep up with him. And until he saw who they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tense.


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't shoot!" Derek shouted as he put down his gun and stepped forward.  
"What are you doing?" Stiles asked as he grabbed the boy's arm.   
"I know them!"   
Derek ran forward and grabbed the other arm of the boy who was being pulled along to balance him. "Guys clear the space, we need to get him in the infirmary," Scott ordered as the crowd cleared and they moved into the room.  
Derek and other boy lifted up the injured one and put him on the metal slab. "Ethan, what happened?"   
"He got attacked by an Alpha and the wounds are pretty deep," Ethan said trying to alert Derek as to why his twin's wounds hadn't healed. Scott and Stiles were standing with them along with Lydia and another boy Derek didn't know. "Okay, Danny, clean up the wound and get the local anaesthetic. Lydia, I'm gonna need you to stitch this up," Scott ordered.  
"Got it," they both said in unison.   
"Guys, why don't we just step outside for couple of minutes, leave them to do their work," Scott said escorting the boys out of the room.  
"Who are these guys, Derek?" Stiles asked once they'd exited the room.  
"This is Ethan, and that's his brother Aiden. They were... at the same camp as me."  
Scott stepped forward. "I thought you were the only one who got out alive."  
"So did I," Derek said.  
It was becoming harder and harder for him to think on his feet. Luckily Ethan stepped in. "We managed to hang back once we'd killed them all but there was another attack. That's when Aiden got hurt."  
The boys nodded. "There's no one else left at the camp now then? You were the last ones," Stiles inquired.  
"Yeah we were the last ones out."  
Derek's eyes narrowed at Ethan but luckily the boys didn't notice. "Can I talk to Ethan alone for a second, guys?"  
Stiles had a weary look in his eyes but then said, "Sure," and he and Scott went back into the room.   
"What the hell are you doing here?" Derek asked once they were gone.  
"Peter sent us to help, okay? Don't worry I'm sure you're still the favourite, he just thought you could use a hand."  
"Then what the hell happened to Aiden?"  
Ethan simply raised his eyebrows. "Peter did that?!" Derek exclaimed.  
"Well he had to make it realistic."  
Derek rubbed his face. "And what about when it heals? Don't you think people are gonna figure it out."  
Ethan shook his head. "Peter made the cuts deep so they'd be harder to heal. Plus the idea is that the pack will move in before that happens."  
Derek stayed silent. "That is still the plan, isn't it Derek?"  
"Of course it is."  
Ethan smiled. "Good. Wouldn't want to tell Peter how his dearest nephew was too scared to go through with the plan."  
Derek scowled at Ethan. Usually the boy was the more sensible twin, the one with the plan, as opposed to Aiden whose plan of attack was always to attack. "You're acting like Aiden, now."  
"Yeah, anyone would think we're related," Ethan chuckled.  
"Okay, now you're sounding a bit more like yourself. But I don't understand why Peter needed to send you when the plan was already in motion," Derek said before he paused to survey Ethan's face. "Unless there's something else I needed to know."  
Ethan sighed but knew he had to confess Peter's ulterior motives. That was the thing about Ethan. He was loyal to everyone but morals appealed more to him than power ever would. And power was all Aiden had ever known.   
"Peter told us all about McCall and Deucalion. He thought if we came here, saw the boy and the article you were talking about, it might bring back memories, and help us put two and two together."  
Derek shut his eyes and sighed as well. "Of course, how could I forget? He was your alpha."  
Ethan nodded. "Exactly. And seeing as Kali and Ennis were needed there, he thought we would be the best bet."  
"I understand," Derek said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to give you a hard time."  
Ethan was about to reply when Stiles opened the door and called them in, his twin sat upright on the metal slab, putting on the jumper Lydia had so kindly offered as she stood there in her tight black leggings and long sleeved top, crossing her arms to keep herself warm.   
"Are you feeling better?" Derek asked.  
Aiden smiled at him. "I've had worse."   
"What are we gonna do about sleeping arrangements?" Stiles butted in, as sensitive as ever of course. "I mean I'm assuming you want to stay here?"  
"Well yeah!-"  
"That would be helpful," Ethan interrupted his brother in an attempt at some kind of politeness.  
They stood there in silence while Stiles reviewed the room plans until a voice came from across the room where Danny was putting away supplies. "My room's free. I'll take the pretty one," he said walking over looking directly at Ethan.  
"Who, me?" the boy replied but Danny just smiled.  
"That's probably a good idea, actually," Stiles interjected. "Aiden can room with Lydia for now so that she can be on hand if his injuries need seeing to or, worst case scenario, get, you know, worse."  
"Ever the optimist, Stilinski," Danny said putting a box of sharp objects back into the cupboard.  
All four of them seemed to agree but Stiles was still flipping papers on his clipboard. "Wait a minute, this says Jackson is still rooming with Danny, where the hell is he gonna go?"  
"No worries," Scott said, "Chris called and said he needed Jackson at base, that he'd probably be back in a few days. We can sort it out then."   
"Why would Chris want Jackson at base?" Stiles asked abruptly.   
Everyone there seemed rather taken aback by the question, but Scott just spoke calmly, probably concluding that it was his hatred for Jackson that caused the outburst.  
"Uh, he didn’t say," Scott said. "All I know was that he needed an extra hand and Jackson left this morning."  
Stiles nodded, flipping back to the front page. Derek still thought he looked somewhat suspicious though. "Well if everyone's agreeable I'll make the changes," he said walking over to the table to write out the new sleeping arrangements.   
Everyone started to slip out of the room, the last thing Derek heard being Aiden imitating Danny's remark about Ethan being pretty in a childish manner and then saying, "We have the same face!"   
Before Derek had even noticed, it was just him and Stiles in the room. Derek knew he had to say something but had no idea where to start so he cleared his throat. Stiles caught on though. "Derek, it's getting late, we should probably just get some sleep."   
Derek sighed. "I think we should talk."  
"I'm not saying we don't need to talk, I'm just saying," Stiles paused as he put the clipboard back in the drawer and slammed it. "I'm just saying it can wait until morning."  
The boy went to walk out but Derek stopped him. "At least let me get this off of my chest."   
Stiles sighed but nodded and the both moved through to the other side of the room with lockers and benches where they sat facing each other. "I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier. I know you guys are going through a tough time right now, you know having to deal with all this while grieving and having all these different problems, I just..." Derek could feel Stiles getting uneasy and stopped. "I'm just trying to say that I understand. Why you guys are so willing to fight."  
"Why do we do it then?"  
"You tell me. Why do you fight?" Derek asked again and sat back. It was time for Stiles to do the talking.  
Stiles shook his head. "Maybe because the love of Scott's life as well as Lydia's best friend was just-"  
"No, Stiles. I know about that and I'm sorry about it, but that's not what I'm asking. I don't want to hear about Scott or Lydia or Jackson or Danny. I want to hear about you. Why do you fight?"  
Stiles looked up at Derek and it looked as if tears were starting to form in his eyes. "Because I saw my parents get ripped to shreds when I was a kid. My mom was killed by a wolf on the full moon when I was eight and I watched my dad dying slowly ever since until he finally bit the dust after trying so hard to gain revenge on the species that tore our family apart."   
He sniffed and wiped his face. He seemed to be fine, but covering up pain was a trait that these kids had learnt well. And that was just as beautiful to Derek as it was heart-breaking. "I told him he should've quit his job at the Sheriff's station when he had the chance but he wouldn't listen," Stiles sobbed. "And then came his promotion."  
And that's when it all finally made sense. Stiles was Sheriff Stilinski's son. He vividly remembered the celebration his pack had had upon discovering the Sheriff of Beacon Hill's had been shot meaning that the Argents were the only threat up until this resistance had formed. Thinking about the happiness they felt as Stiles grieved and sobbed over his father's death made Derek feel like he was going to throw up. He had to speak or he was convinced he would then and there.   
"I'm sorry Stiles. I know you've all been through so much. And I'm not here to patronise you guys or make you feel worse than you already do."  
"Why are you here?" Stiles asked, but it seemed a lot less hostile this time.   
"Well I told you, the camp was closest-"  
"No, I mean why are you still here? I've given you so much crap in the last couple of days and you're still here. There must be a reason."  
Derek sighed. "Maybe I don't feel like being controlled for the rest of my life."  
Stiles watched him silently which was Derek's cue to elaborate. "At my old camp, the man in charge, he had been in this feud practically his whole life before the war even began. He experienced it happen but we grew up not knowing any better. It was like we were conditioned to hate another species we didn't even know about. And I do hate werewolves. I hate the one who killed Scott's mother, the one who took your best friend from you all. The one who took your family away."  
Stiles looked up at that point. While Derek was really rose to grow up hating humans, what he just said was far from a lie. "But maybe I don't want to hate the rest, the ones who are being ordered to kill the others, just like we all were. You all have so much faith, so much resilience. And I really don't know how you do it."  
Stiles just put his head in his hands. "Neither do we," he said so quietly that Derek wouldn't have heard him if they weren't both leaning forward. "Neither do we, Derek. We just do it... Maybe you're right. Maybe that's the problem."  
They looked at each other then like they never had before. There was so much understanding in the way they looked at each other. The way they saw into each other. And before either of them knew what was happening Derek's hand was on Stiles' neck and their lips were touching. It was a soft kiss, but not in the way that they were almost violently trying to savour every moment. That was until Derek could comprehend what was happening. He ripped his hand off of Stiles' neck and pulled himself of the bench, turning away from Stiles, wiping his mouth. "That's... I can't..." He wasn't even capable of formulating a sentence. How could he when all he wanted to do was tell Stiles everything? Stiles stood up too and backed away. "I... I'm so sorry."  
Derek turned around and went to walk closer to Stiles who was edging towards the door. "No, Stiles-"  
"I'm sorry," the boy repeated before running out of the room leaving Derek there. He paced back and forth along the lockers, his frustration so strong that he didn't even concentrate on the pain when he punched a locker, knocking the door off its hinges. The last thing he remembered was sitting down on the bench again and just sitting there. That was until he lay down, and soon after that he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry.


	6. Chapter 6

When Derek woke up he could hear ruffling, metal objects being moved around and for a good two minutes he had no idea where he was. That was when he remembered that he was in the locker room next to the infirmary and before he could even get up, Lydia was walking into the room and cursing at seeing an unexpected figure on the bench. "Holy shit!"  
When she recovered from the fright she asked, "What the hell are you doing in here?"  
Derek rubbed his eyes as he sat up. "I could ask you the same thing. What time is it?"  
Lydia looked at her watch. "Almost three-thirty. And I just so happen to be changing your idiot friend's stitches. Your turn."  
"I fell asleep."  
"No shit. Why didn't you just go to your room?"  
Derek got up and walked into the infirmary, Lydia following him after retrieving a first aid kit of some kind out of one of the lockers.   
"Are you alright?" he asked Aiden.   
Aiden smiled at him "I've had worse."  
Derek playfully hit his shoulder, "Yeah you said so earlier."  
"What the hell are you doing here now, any  
Lydia started clearing things away. "That's exactly what I was wondering."   
Derek smirked at her. "Maybe it's none of your business," he said then turned to Aiden whose eyebrow was rose. "I'll tell you tomorrow."  
That made Lydia gasp over-exaggeratedly. "Oh, wow seriously?"  
But before she had a chance to continue he had already left the room.   
He walked back to Stiles' room slowly, trying to comprehend what had happened between them. He spent minutes trying to figure out who had initiated the kiss, who moved in and pressed their lips to the others. But Derek didn't even know that. And he didn't know why he pulled away. Well he knew why he did it, his mission was to earn their trust and take them down yet remain unattached, he just didn't know why he cared so much. About the mission or his uncle. What seemed so important to him a couple of days ago wasn't as important anymore. And other things were starting to matter more.  
When Derek reached the room he stood outside just looking at the door. He finally worked up the courage to put his hand on the door handle and enter. He didn't really know what to expect but much to his relief Stiles was in bed seemingly asleep. Derek shut the door gently and crept into the room, pulling off his shoes and getting into bed. He didn't take very long to fall asleep but was sure he could hear a few sniffs coming from Stiles' bed as he drifted to sleep.   
\---  
Derek woke up in an empty room and, for some reason, his first instinct was to ensure that all of Stiles' stuff was still there. He knew that he was being stupid though, this was Stiles' room, why would he leave? In his panic Derek hadn't even looked at the time and when he did he realised he was late for breakfast. He decided to shower quickly, which was just a weak hose and some crappy soap, and then change into clothes that didn't reek of sweat and guilt.   
When he reached the canteen the first face he saw was Lydia's, whose hair bounced as she approached him. He looked out for Stiles but was blocked by the 5 foot something firecracker in front of him. "What the hell happened between you and Stiles?" she barked at him.   
"What? Nothing, why?"  
"Because last night I walk in on you asleep in the locker room where we left you and Stiles, only he's not there. And then I ask him what's up and he had the same reaction you did. Only he didn't stick around and talk. So do you want to enlighten me?"  
Derek breathed uneasily. He feared that maybe Stiles had told her everything and that she was bluffing. Or, if she was telling the truth, that she had figure it out somehow. Either way he didn't know what to do.  
"We were just talking... And then he headed back to the room but I stayed there... To think about stuff."  
Great, Derek, really convincing. But Lydia just shook her head.  
"Derek, I'm being deadly serious here. If you did anything to hurt him I will make it my personal mission to make your life hell."  
Derek's eyes narrowed at the girl. "Big talk for someone who swore that they weren’t his keeper a day ago. Plus, I would never hurt him."  
"Oh, really?" she retorted. "How do you explain the bruise on his shoulder then?"  
"What? What bruise?" Derek asked, his voice laced with concern.   
"Look, if you guys had a disagreement or something happened, I understand. But at least talk to him. Because, by the looks of things, he's pretty choked up about it."  
Derek attempted to speak but no words came out. Lydia had walked out and he was standing there with his mouth open. He had to find Stiles. He searched the room frantically with his eyes before locating him sitting opposite Scott at a table and marching straight over, all thoughts of food extinct from his mind.   
"Stiles, I need to talk to you," Derek said calmly, but he felt like he was about to throw up.   
"We're kind of in the middle of something, Derek," Stiles said timidly but almost in a bitter way at the same time.   
Scott looked between the two boys who were looking at each other intensely. Sensing the tension Scott said, "It's okay Stiles, I can find Danny and go through it with him. If I can peel him off of Ethan for a second," Scott mumbled, scanning the room for the boy.  
Stiles got up and followed Derek out of the canteen. Derek paced in the hallway for a moment and Stiles, who sensed that he was looking for a place to talk that wasn't on the other side of camp like their room was, got out the key to Scott's room that was the closest one to the canteen, "Let's talk in here."   
They walked in and Stiles shut the door. Derek looked around the room. It was very different from theirs. For one thing Scott had a double bed, but one side was made up. And on the wall were photos, so many photos of her. Photos of her and Scott and photos of her and her father. And then Derek felt sick again.  
"What do you want to talk about?" Stiles asked, crossing his arms.   
Derek didn't know how to say it, or anything for that matter so he walked towards Stiles and reached for the shirt collar that was evidently being used to conceal something but Stiles flinched and backed away. So Derek moved more slowly this time, folding over the collar to reveal the dark crescent from his neck to his collarbone while Stiles looked away, refused to meet Derek's gaze. "How did that happen?" Derek asked.   
"I knocked it on the corner of my board. It's not a big deal."  
Derek exhaled quickly. "Did I do that? When I pushed you against," he exhaled again and couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.   
Stiles looked at him then, saw the panic in his eyes. He shrugged Derek's hand off his shoulder slowly and pulled up his collar again. "It's not your fault. Accidents happen."  
Derek didn't dare to look at the boy. "Like last night?"  
Stiles shifted his weight from foot to foot, uneasy at what Derek had asked. "I said I'm sorry."  
Derek just shook his head. "No, Stiles, I don't want your apology-"  
"Then what do you want? Tell me, please. Because I really have no idea."  
The wolf thought for a moment. "I just want you to trust me. I don't want you to have to test me to know that I'm on your side."  
Stiles looked at him as if he didn't understand. "Derek. Kissing you wasn't a test. It was just a... lapse of judgement on my part."  
Derek looked at the boy, his eyes sympathetic. How had it come to this? Derek caring about these humans, any of them, let alone the sarcastic, rude little shit that had treated Derek so poorly over the last few days. "It wasn't poor judgement," Derek said, not knowing what else he could say that would earn the boy's trust again without letting him know about his feelings.  
"What?" Stiles asked.  
"It wasn't poor judgement Stiles. I just... I can't let feelings get in the way-"  
"Is it my age?"   
"What? No," Derek said completely taken aback.  
"Because I’m turning eighteen soon and I mean it’s only like two or three years-"  
"Stiles, it’s not your age."  
Stiles dropped his hands to his sides. "What is it then?"  
Derek breathed heavily. He had no idea what he was trying to say and he couldn't jeopardise the mission for Stiles. He wanted to, but he couldn't.   
"Look, I'm sorry too. Can we just forget about it?"  
"Sure," Stiles agreed.  
A sense of relief washed over Derek, but he would be lying if he said the disappointment on Stiles' face didn't hurt him. "You better hurry up and get something to eat," Stiles said, interrupting his train of thought. "Breakfast is nearly over."   
"I'm alright. I'm not that hungry."  
They both stood there, not so much awkwardly, but very still. "Scott told me you spoke to the beta. Get anything out of him?"   
Derek inhaled deeply. He hadn't actually gotten the chance to speak to Scott about it since they went to see him. "Not too much. But he did say one thing. To be prepared."  
Derek didn't have to warn them. He didn't have to say anything. He could have quite easily said nothing. But he did care. He cared perhaps too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It gets more bearable, I promise (kind of).


	7. Chapter 7

The next couple of days ran surprisingly smoothly and went past a lot quicker than Derek had ever expected. Stiles and Derek spent the whole time together apart from the occasional distraction from Scott or Derek pretending to get information out of Isaac in order to check on him and make sure he hadn't died of boredom, although it was always Scott who took him food and water. Or those couple of times when Derek worked with Danny in the infirmary, though Ethan was always there, which made Derek quite nervous. He didn't want him to see how close he was getting to Stiles, although pretty often Ethan was distracted with Danny. Today even Aiden made a surprise appearance. Derek hadn't seen Aiden since the night the twins arrived but word about him and Lydia got around even quicker than the news about her and Jackson. They were both just fortunate that he'd left before that night.  
"Where have you been the last couple of days?" Derek said, shoving Aiden playfully.  
"Having the time of my life," the boy replied looking at Lydia and licking his lips as she walked through the door and over to Danny. Derek saw Stiles speaking to Scott outside but kept sneaking glances at Derek and smiling guiltily when Derek noticed. Scott went into his room and Stiles waited there for a moment before walking back down the hall. Derek looked at his watch which alerted him that he had an hour until dinner. "Hey, Danny. You don't still need me here do you? I mean I'm pretty tired and I wanted to get some sleep before din-"  
"Dude, it's cool, just go," the boy replied cheerfully then turned back around to face Ethan who was sat up on the worktop.  
\---  
When Derek got back to the room the door was slightly open. He knocked as he pushed the door and saw Stiles standing in front of his board which was now completely covered with articles, a joint effort between him and Derek. "Hey," the boy said, smiling.  
"Hi," Derek said back, closing the door behind him.  
Stiles continued studying the board until looking back over at Derek, doing a double take at him just standing there. "You okay?" the boy asked.  
Derek paced right and left a couple of times before deciding to sit down on the bed, inviting Stiles to join him. "What's up?"  
The older boy was silent for a moment. "When I was younger, my parents were killed in a fire. As far as I knew only my uncle got out. My mom was the beating heart of our family, our community."  
Stiles could see the sadness in Derek's eyes, but the boy continued despite the cracks in his voice. "There were a lot of years of not trusting anyone, human or otherwise. I found it hard to let people in, even my uncle, who was supposedly my only family left."  
"Supposedly?" Stiles questioned.  
"About a year ago, we were trying to hunt down these wolves who had taken a boy and a girl of our own and we ended up finding my younger sister. She didn't think that anyone else got out alive, and she was taken from us. For years, she was kept away. My family and home being burnt to the ground, my sister being taken, it's all down to this feud. This futile, pathetic grudge."  
Derek was starting to get angry now and rubbed his face with his hands.  
"I get what you mean," Stiles comforted him.  
"I'm sorry," Derek said leaning back again. "I don't even know where any of that came from."  
"It's cool," Stiles said casually. "I'm glad you can confide in me. Makes me like you a bit more," the boy chuckled.  
Derek wasn't laughing though. He just looked at the boy, who met his stare and held it too. "Maybe that's why I told you."  
"Why? So I'd like you more?"  
"Well, that too," Derek said, smiling. "But because... Because I can trust you."  
Stiles said nothing and the next few seconds passed just as quickly as the last time. But this time there was no confusion, no clouded judgement, just pure clarity. This time it was Derek who put his hand on the back of Stiles' neck and pressed their lips together.  
Stiles returned the kiss for a while before pushing Derek away and getting up, not looking at Derek. "What are you doing?"  
"What I've wanted to do again since that night," Derek said, rising from the bed but not moving towards the boy.  
"That didn't work out so well last time, remember?"  
Derek felt a pang of guilt in his stomach at that. He knew that Stiles had been upset, but the way he said that just strengthened his need to prove him wrong. He didn't want to push him away. But he knew he should, like he knew he shouldn't be doing this. "Are you going to hold that against me forever?" he asked, in an attempt to make a joke out of the situation.  
Stiles wasn't joking though, turning around to look at the boy, his big brown eyes sad and narrow. "Stiles, I'm sorry. When I pushed you away I was just..."  
"Derek we've been over this, can we please just leave it?" Stiles yelled as he went to walk out of the room.  
Derek wouldn't let him though, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.  
"Stiles, would you just wait a minute,  
But the boy wouldn't listen and so Derek had no choice but to take control. By pushing him up against the wall. Again. At least it was a different wall. The wall opposite, to be exact.  
For a long while they just stood there breathing heavily, their eyes locked on each other until, finally, Derek spoke, so quiet it was almost a whisper. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. Whatever happened between us wasn't a lapse of judgement. I just couldn't... I couldn't allow myself to feel like that."  
Stiles just laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Oh what and you can now?"  
Derek stepped closer to the boy, if it was even possible to get closer. He saw the light purple mark that the bruise had left and traced his finger across it. "Now that I know what I want."  
For the first time the kiss wasn't rushed, the build-up was there. But once they got there, they couldn't stop. Derek pulled Stiles from the wall and over to the bed, Stiles climbing over Derek, each leg on either side of his body, and planted himself firmly in Derek's lap. The boy took Derek's face in his hands, waiting for a moment to take in all his beauty before kissing him, just as passionately as before, yet more slowly, more controlled. Derek reached up and wrapped his fingers around the back of Stiles' head, moving up to tug playfully on his hair which made the boy break the kiss to let out a soft moan. Derek moved his lips down the boy's throat and round to the side of his neck, biting into it softly, whilst using his other hand to squeeze Stiles' ass as he writhed on top of him, making Derek's hard dick pulse inside his jeans. Stiles moved his hand down to wrap around the boy's length from on top of the denim which made Derek lean his head back against the pillow and let out a moan. Derek sat up and took off his shirt as Stiles did the same. They both threw them on the floor before Stiles' hands shifted further down, their lips still touching, and undid Derek's jeans. They pressed their lips together again as Derek went to undo the other boy's and they both kicked them off, onto the floor.  
They stayed in that position for a while kissing and touching, Stiles writhing on top of Derek, whose dick was getting harder with every grind. As if hearing his thoughts, Stiles lowered Derek’s pants and wrapped his hand around his throbbing cock. Derek did the same to Stiles, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly surprised by the size of Stiles’ cock, considering his lanky physique. The more Derek thought about it though, the more he realised that Stiles’ clothes didn’t do him any favours. While Derek opted for tight tops, Stiles’ plaid shirts and hoodies seemed to hide what was a much more muscular physique than Derek had anticipated.  
His train of thought was completely interrupted, however, when Stiles’ grip around his dick tightened and he tossed him off vigorously, causing Derek to do the same to Stiles, using his other hand to pull Stiles down into a kiss, only breaking off when Stiles breathed the words "Oh my God, Derek" into his mouth, causing him to bite at Stiles’ lower lip. Every hair on Derek’s body was standing up, as he watched Stiles tossing off his cock. "Holy shit, I'm so close," Stiles breathed out.  
It only took Stiles a few more moments before he came all over Derek's stomach, shivers sending through his whole body. He stopped working on Derek's cock for the moment, taking in his climax and then bending down to kiss Derek's neck as the man whispered, "Keep going."  
Stiles obeyed and continued to beat Derek's hard dick. He was so close to climaxing when Stiles sucked and bit down on his collarbone, sending him over the edge as he let out a final moan. "Fuck, Stiles..." was all he could manage to get out, before he came in messy ropes all over Stiles' hand and his own stomach.  
Stiles fell next to him on the bed, looking up to the ceiling as they both breathed heavily. "So... That happened," Stiles said innocently, making Derek laugh in a way that Stiles could listen to all day.  
"It did indeed."  
Stiles got up quickly and went to the bathroom to get a wet towel and wiped Derek's stomach with it, all the while Derek looking at him. "What?" Stiles asked, feeling somewhat vulnerable, both despite and because of what just happened.  
"You're beautiful," Derek's said, before he could stop himself. When he noticed what he had said, he blinked rapidly as Stiles froze, looking at him through his long eyelashes. "I mean I... What I meant to say was-"  
Stiles didn't bother letting him finished before his lips were pressing against Derek's as he settled into the bed, pulling the covers over them both.  
\---  
When Stiles woke up he was still in bed, Derek's arms wrapped firmly around him. He was still a bit foggy but the knock at the door brought him to alert. "Stiles, you in there?" Scott said from outside the room.  
"Shit, shit. Derek, wake up," Stiles whispered, looking over at his clock which notified him that Stiles should have been in the canteen with Scott almost ten minutes ago. While that didn't matter too much for most people in the camp, Scott and Stiles were usually at the door ready to open up and get any last minute things sorted. “I’m coming, Scott, be there in a sec!"  
"Okay I guess I'll meet you down there," Scott said and then, by the sound of it, walked away.  
"What's the rush?" Derek mumbled, still half asleep.  
"I'm supposed to be at dinner to open up with Scott every night," Stiles said pushing himself off the front of the bed as Derek was too lazy to move. He put on his jeans and tried to find a shirt as Derek turned over to look at him. "I thought dinner was for three hours?"  
"It is. But I'm under direct orders to be there dead on six, probably expected to have you with me, which will obviously make people suspect things."  
Derek got up finally, and decided to get ready too. "No it won't, just say you were showing me something. Use a bunch of big words," he paused for a moment as Stiles sat and laced up his trainers. "Besides, even if they did is that such a bad thing?"  
Stiles sighed but didn't say anything. "What?" Derek asked.  
"Nothing I'm just... Derek I'm just tired of having to explain myself. To anyone, let alone people like Scott and Lydia. I love them but they can be pretty judgemental," Stiles said more calmly.  
"I get it," Derek said, although he'd be lying if he said he wasn't slightly saddened that Stiles may be embarrassed at the thought of people knowing about them. Whatever they were. It wasn’t as if Derek wanted anyone to know either, especially the twins, but he just wanted to know what Stiles’ reaction would be. He wished he’d never asked now. The wolf's train of thought was cut off when Stiles walked out into the hall and then yelled at Derek.  
"Come on then, Derek, I haven't got all day," Stiles shouted, but then winked at him.  
There was just something about Stiles' annoying chuckle and terrible humour that really made Derek melt inside. He was so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you it would get better.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Derek intended on staying by Stiles' side for as long as he could. He thought about how the twins would react if they saw how close they'd gotten, but Derek didn't see them all morning until bumping into them in the canteen at lunch time. Stiles and Derek intended on spending the afternoon with Scott, but the boy disappeared for hours and end and so Stiles and Derek retreated back to their room until dinner time. To make out and such.  
When dinner rolled around, they were so engrossed in kissing that they almost didn't hear the alarm they'd set to remind them of the time. It didn't stop them from being a few minutes late though, constantly stopping in the hall and kissing when people weren't looking. Dinner usually went quite quickly but tonight was different. And so much happened in the space of those two hours that Derek, and even Stiles, couldn't quite keep up.  
They sat with Lydia at first, who apologised to Stiles about their little mishap earlier on in the week. Derek kept a watchful eye on the pair whilst they were talking, constantly feeling a pang of jealousy that this girl had Stiles' undying loyalty. Then, when Lydia left, and Aiden followed her, Danny and Ethan sat down at their table. "Whoa, late to dinner two nights in a row, Stilinski? I never thought I'd see the day," Danny joked. "I assume you had other commitments."  
Danny looked between him and Derek, as if he knew what was going on automatically, causing both of the boys to tense up and the awkward silence had caused Ethan to look up from his plate and understand what Danny meant.   
"I gave him the time off," Scott said, sitting at the end of the table.   
"Oh really?" Danny asked, as Stiles and Derek just sat silently.   
Scott nodded, taking a sip of his drink.  
"How comes I don't get any time off?" Danny prodded, but Scott could tell he was joking.  
"Well, Danny, I guess it's because your job is very important."  
Danny thought for a moment. "Well, alright then."  
The group were silent for a moment until Stiles realised what Scott had said. "Wait a minute, what do you mean my job isn't important?!"  
Danny and Ethan burst out laughing and Derek chuckled under his breath, trying to not show his amusement. "I'm just kidding bro. But that reminds me, I did actually have something important to discuss with you. In private."   
Stiles got nodded and moved to another table with Scott, mumbling something about his job which made Derek laugh. "I'm gonna head back to the room anyway, I'm exhausted. See you later, Derek," Danny said before whispering something in Ethan's ear that made him choke on his food and getting up to leave.  
Derek hardly noticed though. His focus was on figuring out what Scott and Stiles were talking about, as they kept stealing glances over at him. He hoped he wasn't the topic of conversation but he couldn't be sure.  
"He was right," Ethan said as he shifted down a seat to sit directly opposite Derek.  
"Who was?" Derek asked, snapping back to reality.   
"Danny."  
"About what?"  
"You and skinny boy."  
Derek gulped and glanced back over at Stiles who made direct eye contact with him, causing the wolf to shoot his eyes back to Ethan. But he knew he had to play it cool.  
"Who? Stiles? What do you mean?"  
Ethan just smiled and crossed his arms. "Dude, don't play stupid with me, okay? I'm not my brother. Just like him, you have a tell."  
Derek attempted to fabricate a sentence but stuttered every time. He took a moment to compose himself but it did little use, Ethan wasn't convinced.   
"I do not have a tell, okay? And Stiles is just... One of the humans whose trust I have to gain."  
It hurt Derek even to say those words out loud, but what hurt him the most was that they were completely true.  
"I'm not convinced," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair.   
"Okay. Then what's my tell?" Derek asked, mimicking Ethan's actions and also crossing his arms.  
"Well when Danny first mentioned something about the two of you I looked out for it. You know, Aiden does this thing where he brushes a girl's hair behind her ear before kissing her or when they're talking," Ethan explained.  
"Yeah, well I don't think I'll be pushing Stiles' hair behind his ear anytime soon," Derek said, trying to make a joke of the situation, as if what Ethan was saying wasn't completely true.  
"No yours is definitely different," Ethan said mischievously, trying to keep Derek waiting.  
"Come on then," Derek said, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward again, "What is it?"  
"It's simple, and pretty difficult to miss. You look at him like you worship the ground he walks on."  
Derek went to speak again but couldn't, it was like the words were just trapped at the back of his throat. He looked to Stiles again, whose head was in his hands. He made a mental note to ask what they were talking about later but for now he was just trying to process everything Ethan had just said. That was until he realised it would be futile to deny it any longer.  
"Are you going to tell Peter?" Derek asked, leaning forward and lowering his voice even further than before.  
"Of course I'm not. But, Derek, you know that we have to follow through with the plan," the younger wolf said sympathetically.   
"I know that."   
"And you need to prepare for Stiles to be collateral damage-"  
"What about Danny? And what about Lydia, are they just collateral damage too? Don't you think they've all lost enough?"  
"I would never hurt Danny and I know that the same goes for Aiden with Lydia. None of them have to get hurt as long as we stick to the plan."  
Derek's eyes narrowed. "I thought that was the plan? To earn their trust and take them out?"  
Ethan shook his head but didn't meet Derek's eye contact. "Not necessarily."  
There was a pause before Derek finally said, "Ethan, what are you going to do?"   
Ethan remained silent but shifted his focus to someone else. He was looking directly at one table and, more specifically, one person.   
"No. Ethan, you can't hurt Scott-"  
"Mine and Aiden's mission was to get McCall to Peter. And we're doing it with or without your help."  
Ethan met Derek's gaze finally but now Derek was the nervous one. "What? Why? Ethan, I don't understand, you can't-"  
Derek wanted to finish what he was saying, he needed to. But Scott and Stiles had walked back over to the table and were standing over them now. "Hey," Stiles said to Derek, but his eyes were still fixed on Ethan, anger and worry on his face.  
"You okay, Derek?" Scott asked, putting a hand on his shoulder, almost as a greeting.  
There was a short pause until Derek looked at the two boys. "Yeah, yeah I'm good."  
Scott simply nodded, told Stiles that he'd given the canteen keys to Bobby and that he'd see him in the morning before leaving the canteen. Ethan followed him.  
"You sure you're okay?" Stiles asked, sitting in front of him. "You seem a little shaky."  
"I'm fine," Derek said suddenly, catching Stiles a little off guard. "Sorry. I guess I'm just wondering what you and Scott were talking about for so long."  
Stiles just shrugged. "Oh, you know, just the usual stuff."  
"Really? That's why he wanted you to speak with him privately?"  
Stiles picked up his drink and shrugged again. He was about to continue defending himself when Bobby walked over to tell them that he was going to lock up in five minutes and went to clear the kitchen. Stiles looked back at Derek who was still awaiting an answer, and seemed to have gotten angrier as the conversation went on. "It was just boring schedule stuff Derek-"  
"Stop lying to me!" Derek barked, slamming his hand on the table making Stiles jump.  
Stiles was so taken aback by his aggression that he just sat there, wide-eyed not knowing what to say but Derek was just as shocked at what he'd done. He had to remove himself from the situation and was out of the canteen before Stiles could comprehend why he'd been shouted at. Stiles went after him but Derek had already run off and when Stiles finally got to the room things got worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst. Angst. Angst. Angst.


	9. Chapter 9

When Stiles entered he walked into an empty room and thought Derek had run off somewhere else until he heard the shower running and walked into the bathroom to see Derek sat on the floor, water running over his entire body and soaking his clothes as he breathed heavily and repeated some sort of chant that Stiles couldn’t make out over and over again. Stiles turned off the shower before kneeling beside him asking if he was okay and trying his to calm him down. When his breathing steadied a bit he relaxed against the wall and Stiles sat beside him, not caring about how wet he was getting in the process. "I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you," Derek said, apologetically.  
"It's okay, I've had my fair share of anxiety attacks and episodes."  
But for Derek it wasn't like that, it was trying to keep his anger from causing him to change. And he wasn't just worried about Scott finding out about them. He was worried about what the twins were planning, what Peter really sent them to do. "Scott was asking me if there was something between us," Stiles said as Derek wondered whether he should bring it up in the first place.   
"I thought as much. And what did you say?" Derek said calmly.  
"That there wasn't anything going on between us."  
"And is that true?"  
Stiles looked at Derek then. "Honestly? I don't know. Is there for you?"  
Derek didn't dare look back at the boy. He was so lost for words, and for once it was because he was finally facing the facts. He'd strayed so far from the mission that there was no going back, and he was honestly at a loss.   
Derek took Stiles' face in his hand and kissed his lips softly. When they pulled away Derek spoke. "Does that answer your question?"  
Stiles nodded and smiled, until remembering how upset Derek looked when he and Scott had returned to the table to see Ethan talking to him. “What were you talking about with Ethan?”  
Derek tensed up. He wanted so desperately to warn Stiles about their plan. But what could he possibly say that Stiles would believe? How could he tell him the truth when he knew that Stiles would never look at him the same way ever again. “We were just talking about our old camp,” Derek reassured him. “We were the only ones who got out alive, remember? I guess talking about everyone just upset me a bit.”  
Stiles nodded, not wishing to press the issue. “As long as you’re okay.”  
Derek pressed another kiss to Stiles’ lips. "I am. Now maybe we can continue where we left off yesterday" Derek said cheekily, before closing the minuscule gap between their lips.   
Stiles didn’t argue, kissing Derek back passionately as he took of his own shirt and then Derek's, which was completely soaked. Stiles stood up and turned on the shower, and Derek pressed Stiles up against the wall, getting him completely wet too. They both got completely naked, water covering their entire bodies as they kissed and touched each other, Derek’s hands tracing over every inch of Stiles’ body until resting on his tight waist and extinguishing any space left between them. He reached behind Stiles and turned off the shower, dragging Stiles through the door and onto his bed.   
They were both rock hard, Derek feeling Stiles dick pulsing against his stomach, but he wasn’t wasting any time. He moved further down the bed, stroking his tongue up Stiles’ dick until grabbing Stiles’ thighs and lifting them up so that he could lick his hole. He rubbed his tongue against it and Stiles moaned as Derek grabbed his cock and just held it, with slow movements every so often. Derek continued to eat Stiles out, the boy gripping onto Derek’s hair when he pushed his tongue in. That’s when Derek moved his tongue back up to Stiles’ cock and instead inserted one of his fingers into Stiles' tight hole. The boy frowned in slight discomfort but continued to kiss him. Derek pulled away very slightly and said, "Just relax," and so the boy obeyed. Derek managed to insert a second finger which gave Stiles the same sensation at first but after a couple of minutes he found pleasure in it, kissing Derek even more forcefully. By the time he had inserted three fingers, Stiles had completely relaxed.   
After a few moments, Derek grabbed Stiles by the hips as he got up and went back to his original position in between Stiles’ legs. They continued to kiss, Stiles' hard dick pressed against the boy's stomach. Stiles pulled away and looked Derek in the eye before nodding, giving Derek permission. He pulled Stiles even further down the bed so he was lying flat and waited a moment before pushing into Stiles' tight asshole, causing them both to let out a moan. Stiles clenched around Derek's dick and they stayed like that for a moment until the boy relaxed and Derek pushed into him, fucking him slowly at first while he sucked on Stiles neck, biting softly in places as if marking his territory which made Stiles moan even more. "Oh fuck, Derek, I'm gonna come in no time if you carry on like that," the boy chuckled, placing a hand on Derek's chest as a prompt to slow down a bit. "Don't worry... I'll be right behind you," he let out between thrusts. He went back to kissing Stiles as the boy moaned into his mouth, his legs wrapped around Derek’s waist. That was until Derek leaned back up and hooked his arms under Stiles’ legs and hoisted them onto his shoulders, fucking Stiles even harder. Stiles wrapped his hand around his cock but didn’t dare to toss himself off because he knew he’d come straight away with the way Derek was fucking him. "Oh fuck, Derek," Stiles moaned as Derek let go of his legs and grabbed Stiles’ cock. “I’m gonna come.”  
Derek continued to fuck him and rub Stiles’ cock as the boy let out a moan and came into Derek’s hand and against his own chest. They stayed in that position for a moment until Derek pulled out of Stiles and tossed off his own dick. When Stiles could move, he sat up and put his mouth around Derek’s cock, sucking him off as Derek let out a loud moan and came into Stiles’ mouth. Derek collapsed next to Stiles on the bed, both of them looking at the ceiling and catching their breaths.  
"Wow," Stiles breathed out, unable to say anything else.  
Derek nodded in agreement. "Wow," he repeated.  
They both looked at each other and chuckled, feeling a bit strange after sleeping together for the first time.  
"I'm feeling a bit delirious right now," Stiles admitted, wiping his forehead which was still wet from the shower plus some sweat from their sexual endeavours.   
Derek chuckled again, turning back to look at the ceiling again. "Yeah, that usually happens when you get fucked in the ass," which inevitably earnt a shove from Derek before Stiles climbed over the boy and got a towel to clean them both up as well as dry them off a bit.   
After that they lay down together again, kissing every so often, but mostly just content in each other's arms.  
\---  
"Stiles?" Derek began later on, his arm around Stiles.   
"Mhm," Stiles said, his eyes closed.   
Derek turned his head to look at Stiles. "Can I ask you something?"  
"I’m not a virgin," Stiles exclaimed, opening his eyes and looking at Derek.  
Derek’s eyebrows furrowed. "What?"  
"I mean, this is my first time. Not having sex. I’ve had sex with girls before but this was…"  
"Your first time with a guy?" Derek finished the sentence for him, as Stiles nodded.  
"Well that’s… That doesn’t matter to me."  
Stiles looked at Derek as if he couldn’t have said anything better to that. They continued looking at each other until Derek remembered his original question. “But that wasn’t what I wanted to know. What do the colours mean?"   
"What?" Stiles asked, unaware of what Derek was referring to.   
Derek pointed at the wall. "What do the different coloured strings mean?"  
"Oh," Stiles said. "Just different stages of investigation. So green is solved, yellow is to be determined and blue's just pretty."  
Derek paused, somewhat impressed by his creativity. "But green is pretty too," Stiles said looking into Derek's eyes.  
Unfortunately he didn't know that Derek could have blue eyes too.  
"What does the red mean?" Derek asked.  
"Unsolved."  
It made sense that the red string lead from the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital article to the top of the wall were a picture with a question mark on it and '"old blind man" wolf' was written underneath. Even though he knew who Deucalion was, that didn't mean that Stiles did. And neither of them knew why he wanted to get to Scott.  
"Tell me about something about you," Stiles said, interrupting Derek's train of thought.   
"What do you want to know?"  
Stiles turned further over towards him and leaned his elbow on the pillow so he was looking down at Derek. "I don't know, something about your childhood or your family. Who is Derek?"  
That made Derek chuckle and he wondered where all this had come from until he realised he hadn't really spoken much about his childhood except for the fire.  
"After... You know, after the fire. It was just my uncle and I. He's not the greatest guardian in the world but he did his best. To be completely honest he was more like a friend before my parents died. But he used to tell me something that I've lived by all my life."  
"What is it?" Stiles asked, engrossed in the intensity of the story.  
"He used to say that there is a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It’s anger, greed, apathy, pride, envy, appetence, and lust. The other is good. It’s joy, content, empathy, modesty, confidence, appreciation and… And love. I thought about that all of the time until one day I asked him something. I turned to him and I said, uncle, which wolf wins? And he looked at me for a while, until he said that it’s simple. The one you feed."  
Stiles turned on his back and exhaled. "Wow, that’s deep."  
Derek laughed. "Yep, you can always count on Uncle Peter for the theatrics."  
There was a brief pause and Derek froze. He had just told Stiles his uncle’s name and for a moment he could not remember whether he had told them General Hale's first name when he first arrived at the compound. Fortunately for him, Stiles smiled and hadn’t made any connection so Derek breathed a sigh of relief. The boy turned round to face Derek once more and kissed him softly. "What time is it anyway?" Stiles asked.  
Derek looked at his watch, the only thing he seemed to have on. "Only about 1:30."   
"Okay I should probably put some clothes on and get in my own bed," Stiles said going to get up.  
"Technically this is your bed, remember?" Derek teased, putting his pants and jeans back on.  
Stiles turned back to face him, also getting dressed. "You’re right, it is. Why don’t you leave then?"   
"Why don’t you make me?"  
By the time Stiles was dressed they were having a full on wrestling match. Stiles had Derek pinned down and put his legs either side of him to gain balance. But when Derek stopped struggling, Stiles released his iron grip on his wrists and leaned down to kiss him. That's when Derek got the upper hand and flipped Stiles onto his back, completely swapping their positions. "I hate you," Stiles said.  
"I know," Derek said. "So should I."  
Stiles' eyebrows furrowed and Derek kissed him again putting one hand on his face but still gripping his wrist tightly with the other until Stiles moaned and tapped his chest. "Come on," Stiles said. "It's late."  
Derek sighed but got off of him and put on his shirt as Stiles got up and started walking over to the other bed. The knock at the door startled them both.  
"Stiles!"   
Derek recognised that it was Ethan and got up before Stiles could get to the door.   
"Wait!" Derek said causing Stiles to turn and look at him.  
"Derek something's obviously wrong-"  
"Stiles! Open up man, it's Scott!"  
Stiles opened the door and, much to Derek's surprise, Ethan was alone. And he actually looked really worried.  
"You have to come, quick," Ethan said before running off down the hall.   
Derek was worried that it was a trap, but maybe it wasn't. And if he warned Stiles it could blow his whole cover. Both boys put on their shoes and Stiles grabbed the chain with the keys to all of the rooms on it before following Ethan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the shower sex. Prepare for some heartbreak.


	10. Chapter 10

When they got to Scott's room the door was locked and a few people were standing outside looking worried. All Stiles could hear from outside was things being broken and knocked over while Scott grunted.  
"Scott! Scotty, it's me! Open up buddy," Stiles pleaded as he slammed his hand against the door.  
When that didn't work he got the keys out of his pocket and opened the door in time to see Scott pushing everything off of his drawers and fall the ground, including a photo-frame that smashed.  
Stiles ran in and grabbed Scott by the waist from behind shouting his name and telling him repeatedly that it was okay but he just kept shouting and crying and wouldn't calm down until he collapsed into the boys arms on the floor in front of the bed. His knuckles were bleeding and Derek could see the dent in the wall from where Scott had punched it. It was next to the pictures of him and the one person whose name he'd been screaming. Allison.  
\---  
"Okay move along guys," Derek said softly as everyone dissolved from the area.  
Everyone except for Lydia who walked inside the room wiping the tears from her cheeks and Aiden who followed her. Ethan stood at the door with Derek. Stiles had taken Scott into the bathroom and was cleaning his hand and calming him down. Lydia knelt down on the floor and started putting glass in the bin, clearing her throat as an attempt at concealing her sobs.  
"Lydia," Aiden said quietly, softly. "Lydia you... You don't have to do that."  
She didn't look up at him. "This needs to be cleared up."  
Aiden looked at his brother. "Lydia he's right. Derek and I will clean this up, you just get back to bed," Ethan added.  
Lydia nodded and cried harder, sitting on the floor as she did so. "Come on," Aiden said, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up, as if she was a little porcelain doll that had to be manoeuvred with care, then they walked out of the room and Ethan shut the door. He turned around receiving a harsh stare from Derek. "You still want to hurt Scott?" Derek asked.  
Ethan moved forward. "You wanna lower your voice before they hear you?"  
Derek turned away and started picking things up from the floor. He stopped after picking up the photo-frame with a picture of Scott and Allison kissing in the forest. It caught Ethan's eye too and Derek stood up slowly before placing it back on the chest of drawers. "I never wanted to hurt him," Ethan said quietly. "Neither did Aiden, believe it or not. We just..."  
"What?" Derek said, feeling some sympathy for the wolf.  
Ethan sighed. "We just don't wanna be omegas anymore."  
Derek nodded. He was about to speak but Stiles and Scott walked in. "Guys you don't have to clean this up. It's my mess I'll do it," Scott said timidly.  
"No, hey, you need sleep," Stiles said, then turned to the others, "you guys go, I'll sort it out."  
"You sure?" Derek said, concerned.  
Stiles nodded. "Yeah go, get some sleep."  
Ethan said thanks and then left. Derek smiled at Stiles and then also walked out, shutting the door behind him.  
\---  
Derek's alarm sounded at 12:00 and he could hear Stiles being woken up by it too. He wanted to move and switch it off but he was frozen. Today was the day they were supposed to take them down. And he had no idea what he was going to do. The thought of Scott, the boy who had lost his mother, the love of his life and, after last night, his last piece of strength and dignity, getting hurt made him want to throw up. He felt too anxious to care that they’d slept for half the day, even though he should probably be worried about the upcoming closure of Peter’s plan. When the boy whose face was still planted on his pillow groaned again, Derek switched the alarm off and walked over to Stiles' bed to perch on the edge. "Afternoon. I’d say morning but unfortunately we slept for the whole of it."  
Stiles opened his eyes slowly and then smiled. "Hey."  
Derek ran his hand through Stiles' hair. "How was Scott after you left?"  
Stiles sighed. "To be honest he was a bit of a mess." Stiles said propping himself up to sit and Derek moved further onto the bed, resting his legs up on top of the covers. "He kept asking questions I couldn't answer, questions that broke my heart to hear him ask. He loved her so much. He even explained why he asked about you and I once he'd calmed down."  
Derek looked at him more intently now. "What did he say?"  
"He said that I didn't have to say anything, but he knew there was something going on. Not that it bothered him I just... He just said that he could tell you meant something to me. It was the way I looked at you like..."  
Derek smiled at him. "The way you looked at Lydia?"  
He didn't say it to mock him, although Stiles didn't take it that way anyway. "Actually no. He said it was like he used to look at Allison. He even said that he sees a bit of her in you. I know you never met her but she was... She was amazing. And I suppose you do have a lot in common," Stiles said smiling, though Derek could see the sadness in his eyes.  
Intrigued by what he'd said, however, he urged him to carry on. "Like what?"  
"I don't know, I guess it's the hard exterior but you also show affection without shame. And you're strong, like she was. The thing about Allison was she only ever had her parents and aunt growing up. Her mother killed herself after being bitten by a wolf and her aunt was torn to shreds for..." Stiles trailed off but Derek just sat there, wondering what he was thinking.  
"Uh, for trying to hunt down this pack. Luckily her father made it through all of that. But that's why Scott said he got upset. He was just really missing her."  
There was a pause and Derek thought to himself. His first thought was that he needed to get to the twins, and convince them to not do anything.  
"Anyway, you should probably go to lunch, seeing as we’ve already missed breakfast."  
"You not coming?" Derek asked.  
Stiles shook his head and yawned. "No I think I'm gonna lie in a bit more, plus I told Scotty I'd go in later with him. He’s not really up to seeing everyone, I don't think he wants any reminders of last night's episode."  
Derek got up and started it getting changed. "I get it. I could wait and go with you if you want?"  
Stiles shook his head again, lying back down. "Nah, I'd rather you make sure everything is running smoothly in the canteen. Is that okay?"  
"Sure," Derek said. "I'll check up on you later."  
He kissed Stiles on the cheek and got ready to leave. By the sound of it Stiles was nearly back to sleep by the time he got all his things together and put on his shoes. He didn't want to do it, because then he'd have to admit to following the plan. But before he could stop himself he was creeping over to Stiles' keys and taking the one that unlocked the room where Isaac was being kept, and shut the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry.


	11. Chapter 11

The canteen was fairly quiet and, as per usual, the first person he spotted was Lydia, her fiery hair seemingly standing out from far across the room. A small part of Derek understood Stiles' infatuation with her for so long. He shrugged that thought off and went to get some food, constantly scanning room for the twins, or Danny even. Unfortunately, he found neither and so resorted to sitting with Lydia. His last thought before he sat down was that he would probably regret this, but he couldn't help but still see that broken shell of a girl that he has witnessed collapsing into a pool of tears the night before.  
"Hey, Lydia," he said as he sat opposite the girl.  
She smiled at him, whilst sipping her drink. He felt awkward but resolved that she probably felt the same, given last night's events. "So, have you seen Aiden? Only I was hoping to talk-"  
"He ran off somewhere with his brother."  
Derek was about to speak again when the girl continued, "Okay, now my turn to ask the question."  
He was right, he totally regretted this. "I’m all ears," he said.   
"What's up with you and Stiles?"   
Derek shook his head. "I'm having déjà vu from about four days ago."  
Lydia nodded and said, "Well I knew something had happened between you but didn't quite make the connection, very out of character on my part."  
"Is that so?" Derek said sarcastically, receiving a stern expression from the red-head.   
"Hmm. I guess it all makes sense now, all the quiet bickering, you being in the locker room hours after we'd all left. And I mean that was just at the beginning of the week," she teased, leaning forward.  
"Your point being?" Derek asked, making virtually no effort to hide the truth, he saw no point in it anymore.  
The girl sighed. "I guess the only thing that didn't make sense was that bruise the night after the locker room incident. What happened? Love bite gone wrong?" Lydia smirked.  
Derek shook his head. Oh boy did he regret this. "No, it wasn't like that."  
Lydia was thoughtful but didn't completely dismiss him, which was freaky seeing as it actually wasn't like that, at least it hadn't been at the time. It was like she could sense it. "Hmm, I'm not convinced," the redhead began again. "He looks pretty smitten, and trust me, I know what that looks like."  
Ouch. Derek couldn't help but be a little jealous of that, which he then thought was ridiculous considering the events of last few days. "Whatever. I'm happy for him blah blah," Lydia said nonchalantly, looking over Derek's shoulder.  
He turned around to see Aiden approaching them and looked across at another table to see Ethan taking a seat next to Danny. Derek shifted uncomfortably when Aiden kissed Lydia and then sat next to her. "Are you not getting anything to eat?"  
Aiden shook his head and leaned forward. "Nah, I'm not hungry," the beta said, avoiding eye contact with Derek.   
What was very strange, and what Derek certainly wasn't expecting, was that Aiden actually looked just as uncomfortable as him, and just as worried too. "Okay, well I'm needed in the infirmary," Lydia replied, interrupting Derek's train of thought. "I'll catch you guys later."  
Once she had left, both of the boys sat motionless, neither of them saying a word, Aiden still ignoring Derek's intense eye contact. "Go on then. What's the plan here, Aiden?" Derek asked dryly.  
Aiden shook his head, finally looking up at Derek. "I don't know," he said, looking over at Danny and Ethan, and Lydia who was speaking to Danny before she walked out of the canteen.  
Derek followed his gaze and understood what he meant. "You don't know what you and Ethan are going to do? Or you don't know how you're going to protect the supposed collateral damage?"  
Aiden simply stared at him, as if Derek should know the answer just from the look on his face, which he did. Of course they knew what they were going to do. They wouldn't disobey Peter or his orders but maybe, just maybe, they both felt the same way about Danny and Lydia as Derek did about Stiles. About Scott too.   
"Come with me," Aiden said abruptly as he got up and walked over to the table where Ethan was sitting. "Hey Danny, can I borrow my brother please?"  
Danny was somewhat shocked by the sharpness of Aiden's tone, but agreed anyway. "Sure. Lydia wants me in the infirmary anyway so I better go."  
Once Danny was gone, Aiden turned to Derek. "Tell Stiles you want to see Isaac and get the key. Meet us outside the room in five minutes."  
"Actually," Derek said hesitantly, "I've already got it."   
Derek pushed past Aiden so he wouldn't have to see the look on his face, on either of the boys’ faces, because he knew what they would say. He already felt guilty enough.  
When he made it to the door he checked to see if anyone was around and got the key to unlock the door. "So I guess you're thinking of going through with the plan then," he heard Aiden say quietly but still tauntingly from behind him.  
"Coming here was your idea wasn't it?"  
He unlocked the door and walked inside, closing it quietly after the boys had both entered.  
"Whoa, aren't you guys a bit early?" Isaac said, evidently shocked at the twins' arrival.  
It hadn't occurred to Derek that he wouldn't know that they had been there for days, and Derek hadn't gone with Scott to see Isaac since the twins arrived.  
"Actually," Ethan said, "we clocked in a few days ago."  
Isaac looked more than confused. "Why? I thought Peter wanted you with him?"  
"He did," Aiden butted in, "until some disturbing news came to light."   
Derek shifted uncomfortably and Isaac looked to him as if he didn't understand. "Yeah," he said, uncrossing his arms, "there's a lot we have to tell you."  
"About what?" Isaac inquired.  
"McCall, mostly."  
Isaac shook his head as if he was slightly embarrassed about what he was going to say. "I actually happen to know quite a bit about him," he said hesitantly, causing the others to look at him blankly, so he continued. "He's paid me a few visits."  
"What for?" Derek asked, his eyebrows furrowed, although he wasn't really sure how he felt about it. He was pretty sure Stiles didn't know anything about it either, which just made him more suspicious.  
Isaac shrugged. "Well he was the one to bring me food, until he decided he wanted to talk to me alone. At first he wanted information. But after that he kind of... I don't know, calmed down I guess? He kept coming more often, telling me about why he hated us. And then yesterday we talked for a few hours. He told me about Allison, his girlfriend, who I assume you two know about too. I mean he wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine before, but yesterday he seemed pretty down about it."  
The three boys shifted uncomfortably. Derek understood why Scott had had the meltdown now. He knew he had missed her, but speaking to someone whose own species killed her, that must have been tough. Isaac caught wind that they weren't telling him something. "What is it?" the beta asked, worriedly.  
Ethan stepped forward. "He had a bit of a breakdown last night, smashing things up, wrecking his room. He even punched a wall. Had to give his hand a couple of stitches."  
Isaac nodded, but at the same time he looked really distressed by the news.  
"How often were these visits?" Aiden said inquisitively.  
The boy looked up and thought about the answer. "At least once a day. Sometimes more."  
The other three simply stood there, unable to comprehend why Scott would be spending so much time with someone whose entire being he had been rose to hate. Sensing the tension, Isaac continued. "I think it became a bit of an escape for him. Plus a chance to actually understand things from our point of view."   
"How much did you tell him?" Aiden asked aggressively.  
"I didn't tell him anything," Isaac barked back at him. "Despite what you may think I am capable of human communication. And Scott is..."  
"What?" Derek asked.  
Isaac looked down. "You know, he's actually, okay. He just needs someone to talk to. Someone other than Stiles."  
Derek looked confused again, which Isaac caught wind of when he looked up so he clarified how he knew of him. "He told me about most of the people here, but mostly about Stiles, his best friend-"  
"Yeah, Derek knows all about Stiles," Aiden scoffed, but not in a humorous manner.  
Derek shot a threatening stare at Aiden but then shut his eyes in frustration. He knew he had to come clean, they all did.  
"I'm guessing maybe now is the time for you guys to do the talking."  
Derek sat on the chair in front of the cage and explained everything. He started by telling him the reason the twins were there and told him all about Scott's mother and Deucalion. Then he told him about Stiles and his dad being the sheriff. He told him about all the people in the camp and Danny and Lydia and the twins affiliation with them, Derek's affiliation with Stiles too. And how they'd all basically managed to change the minds of three werewolves, who were rose to hate humans, in less than a week.   
"So what you're telling me," Isaac said, trying to comprehend everything at once, "is that we're completely forgetting the plan because you three couldn't keep it in your pants."  
For someone who was apparently not witty, he had a habit of making witty comments. "Oh and I don't suppose you want to personally volunteer to rip out Scott's throat do you?" Aiden retorted, making Isaac's face drop.  
"No one said anything about forgetting the plan," Ethan interjected. "If you were there, you'd understand. These innocent people don't deserve to get hurt."  
Derek watched the boy, almost in shock at how much Ethan felt the same as him, Aiden too.   
"So what do we do?" Isaac asked, looking directly at Derek, who snapped out of his daze.  
"The only way I can know for sure is if you two tell me exactly what Peter sent you for."  
Aiden looked to his brother, who thought for a moment. "Like I said, he sent us after he found out about Deucalion and Scott's mom, seeing as he was our alpha."  
"But that's not all he sent you for," Derek urged him.  
Ethan shook his head. "He told us that we had to be ready to hand over Scott as soon as he arrived with the pack. That was all he told us, I swear."  
"And you didn't question it? You didn't ask why he wanted him?"  
Aiden stepped forward. "Did you question him when he told you to play undercover agent?"  
Derek thought for a moment, taken aback by the question "Well I tried to but-"  
"But it's Peter Hale and he gets what he wants," Isaac joined in.  
The room fell silent and the four of them were starting to come to terms with the fact that they couldn’t stop the plan from going ahead. Until Derek had a sudden thought.  
"Not this time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this is really tense.


	12. Chapter 12

Derek thought over the plan as he made the journey back to his room, a good few hours after lunch, desperately hoping that Stiles would be there. It wasn't too long past four o’clock but the sky seemed to be darkening already. He almost felt his heart jump when he arrived at the room and opened the door to see Stiles sat on his bed.  
"Oh you're here, good," Derek said, shutting the door and walking over to him. "Listen, Stiles, I'm going to ask you to do something now and you're probably going to want to ask a lot of questions but I need you to trust me."  
"It's a shame I don't trust a single word that comes out of your mouth then," Stiles retaliated.  
Suddenly Derek had a sick feeling in his stomach and found it incredibly hard to fabricate a sentence. "What?"  
Stiles picked up the file from his bed and chucked it at Derek's feet. He picked it up and looked inside frantically. That's when his heart dropped.  
"I made a little trip to Danny's room today, seeing as he's the only person in the compound with access to a computer," Stiles began again. "I don't prize myself on having the best memory but I could have sworn that on that first night you got here you said that the beta belonged to Peter Hale. And then you told me the touching story about your Uncle Peter. That's when I realised you never told us your last name. Hell, I never even asked you. And then when you told me about your family and the fire I thought nothing of it at first. Until I talked to you about Allison and her family and I remembered Kate Argent's involvement in the Hale fire. And how you and your uncle were the ones to kill her. Isn't that right, Derek Hale?"  
Derek didn't know what to do, he had just been standing there for Stiles' whole speech and he was so dumbfounded that he felt superglued to the spot. He couldn't even think of the right thing to say. "Stiles just let me explain, okay. Peter sent me to take down the camp and at first I went along with it. But seeing the way you guys are, the way you survive. The way you are Stiles," Derek said going to put his hand on Stiles' face until the boy batted it away.  
"Why should I trust a single thing you say?! After all the pain your kind has caused. To my family, to all our families. The pain you’ve caused Scott!"  
Derek stepped towards the boy, frantically trying to gain back his trust. "I would never ever hurt an innocent girl like Allison. Her aunt murdered my family. If Peter had it his way then Chris and Allison would have both been cold and in the ground on the same day as Kate. But I refused to kill Allison. I refused to kill Chris, who has done things you couldn’t even imagine, made me do things you couldn't imagine. Things I will never forgive him for, or myself for that matter. I would have killed him years ago if it wasn’t for Allison’s new code. Nous protégeons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger eux-même. You may think the worst of our kind, but we respect a code that stops innocent people getting hurt."  
Stiles refused to meet his eye contact. He was seemingly calmer than before, but Derek could see that he was still seething. "Then why come here? Why be the way you were…" Whatever Stiles was trying to say was extremely hard to express and he sighed before continuing. "The way you were with me. Why would you go through that?"  
Derek shook his head, as if he couldn’t understand why Stiles would think that any of his feelings weren’t true. "It was Peter’s orders. I had to gain your trust, get you to like me."   
He stopped talking when he realised how that sounded. "You lied to me, this whole time!"  
"It’s not what you think. That was before I spent so much time with you, so much time with Scott, with all of you. I didn’t have to go through anything. Why do you think I came back here?! Peter and his pack are coming today, and without me, without Isaac and the twins you don’t stand a chance, you said it yourself! I know you’re angry and you have every right to be. But we have a plan, if you would just trust me!"  
That’s when the alarm sounded. "Stiles, they’re here. I know you have little reason to trust me right now but we have a plan. We have to go, now!"   
Stiles was so silent, so still, that Derek didn’t know how he would respond. "Just go," he said so quietly that Derek wouldn’t have heard him if they weren’t so close.  
"What?" Derek asked, shocked that Stiles wasn’t listening to him.  
He meant it when he said that he had every right to be angry but this wasn’t the Stiles that he knew.  
"Leave, before I tell everyone what you are."  
Derek just stood there, lost for words. "Go! Now!" Stiles shouted.  
When he could finally move from the spot he seemed to be glued to, the wolf grabbed his jacket and put it on. He opened the door, the external alarm adding to the cacophony of shouting and hysteria. Derek was about to walk out, before he turned back to Stiles. "I'm not the enemy here, Stiles."  
He shut the door behind him, leaving Stiles alone.  
\---  
Derek didn't know where he was running to, but he knew he had to move fast. If the alarm meant what he thought it had, then Peter's army of betas would now be invading the compound, and most probably killing anyone who gets in their way. He made it as far as Danny's room, before Ethan stopped him in his tracks.  
"Oh good you're here already," Derek said. "Are Danny and Lydia both here?"  
Ethan nodded. "Where's Stiles? The whole point of the plan was to make sure all three of them were here."  
Ethan was right, that was the plan. Derek had realised that Danny's room was equidistant from the Far East entrance and Stiles' room, which is why they'd arranged to hide the three of them in there for protection. The more he thought about it, the more selfish it sounded. "What the hell is going on Aiden?" Derek heard Lydia say from inside the room, where she and Danny were facing Aiden who was trying to go along with the plan. Derek didn't answer Ethan's question but instead answered Lydia's. "We don't know yet, but we're going to see what's happening. It's best for you guys to stay here so we can bring any injuries to you. If need be."  
Reluctantly the pair agreed and Aiden kissed Lydia, telling her he'd be back soon, and for the first time Derek saw him look at her as something other than an object of his sexual desire.  
He walked out into the now busy hallway and shut the door behind him, looking at Derek inquisitively. "What happened to the plan? Where's Stiles?"  
Derek looked around, ensuring that no one was listening in. He recognised most of the people from the canteen and around the compound, but no one he had spoken to or gotten to know well enough for them to suspect anything. "In his room I imagine, if he hasn't already got to Scott," Derek said almost bitterly, the twins staring at him so intently that he had to look away. "He knows."  
Aiden began to speak but Ethan put his hand on his brother's chest and spoke instead. "How much does he know exactly?" Ethan asked, most probably a lot more sensitively than his twin would have approached the situation.  
Derek looked back at them, but this time his face was worried. "He knows that I'm Peter's nephew and that we and Isaac are werewolves... And about the plan."  
"What?!" Aiden shouted, drawing attention to them, but the alarm was still pounding so everyone was more concentrated on getting to safety and discovering the problem. "Why would you tell him?" Aiden asked, this time in a more hushed tone.  
"I had to!" Derek retaliated. "What would you have done in that situation? I had lost all of his trust and I had to win it back, or try to at least. So I told him that Peter and his pack were here and that we would help him. But he wouldn't listen," he explained and his eyes burnt with the sudden sensation to break down and let out the vast mix of emotions that were bubbling inside him at that moment.  
Ethan acknowledged Derek's frustration and changed the subject, in an attempt to actually go through with the plan. "Well if you think he'll try and alert Scott then we have to get to him first."   
The boys started running down the hall, dodging all of the people who were still frantically trying to get an idea of what was happening. When they rounded the corner, Derek stopped dead in his tracks, causing the other wolves to stop and ask what was wrong. Apart from the high shrill of the alarm the hall was silent and seemingly empty. That was until someone was being thrown against the wall, whose blood was then splattered across it as their throat was slashed.  
\---  
When the three of them got closer, they realised that the person whose blood now stained the wall was one of Peter’s betas, luckily not one that Derek had ever liked, and the wolf stood above him was Isaac. "How did you get out? We were supposed to come and get you so we could go and find Scott?" Derek said, placing his hand on Isaac’s shoulder. He was happy to see him, but it didn’t seem the right time for a hug.   
Isaac shook his head, struggling to speak as he breathed heavily. "It was Scott who let me out. I know I was supposed to tell him after but I had to tell him about the pack coming, so he let me go. He trusts us to protect them."  
Derek was more than happy to have Scott on their side, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit of resentment that Isaac could gain Scott’s trust while Derek had failed with Stiles. "Where is Scott now?" Ethan interjected, sensing the tension in Derek’s stance.   
"The beta attacked him so I told him to go back to his room until it was safe. We should go find him."  
Isaac started walking so the others followed, before Aiden stopped. "Wait. What if he doesn’t let you in?"  
Isaac went to speak but Aiden knew what he was going to say. "I know he said he trusted you, but how do we know that’s true. Look I’m not being cynical but we have to be prepared for him to try and hide from us. Deucalion killed his mother and a wolf killed the love of his life."  
"He’s right," Ethan said, turning to Derek. "You need to get the keys off of Stiles."  
"But he won’t even-"  
"Derek we don’t have time," Aiden interrupted. "We’ll go to his room, you meet us there with the keys."  
Derek nodded. He didn’t know how he was going to get them but they were right, they were running out of time, so he had to try. The other three started to run off but Derek stopped them. "Guys, wait! Kill whichever of Peter’s betas gets in your way… Just don’t kill Cora," Derek pleaded, and it seemed stupid even saying it aloud, which was confirmed by Isaac’s response.  
"As if."  
As Derek made his way back to Stiles’ room he tried to devise a way of getting the keys and potentially winning back Stiles’ trust. He thought about going in and just threatening the boy and taking them from him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Did he try and plead his innocence again? He didn’t think that there was much use in that. His train of thought was interrupted, however, when he walked past Danny’s room and heard Lydia and Danny shouting. But they weren’t the only ones in there. Derek knew that voice all too well. Stiles was there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clever little Stiles.


	13. Chapter 13

"You spent every minute of every day with him and you only just figured this out?!"  
"Hey, you two were shacked up with the twins and you didn’t suspect a thing. This isn’t all on me."  
"So what do we do now? Just stay in here and wait for them to kill us?"  
Derek thought about letting Stiles know he was there, but he had to get the keys and he had to act fast. Before he had the chance to change his mind, he was kicking the door of its hinges and walking in.  
"I can help you with that," Derek said, in response to Lydia's anguish.  
Danny and Lydia backed off but Stiles stood his ground. While Derek wanted to believe that it was because he trusted him, all he could see was anger in the boy's eyes. "I thought I told you to leave," Stiles said sternly, although Derek did feel that it was laced with some concern.  
"Yeah," Lydia said, "Well I won't be that generous."  
The redhead held up her gun and pointed it at Derek. The wolf backed off a bit. While he didn't think she'd have the balls to do it, he'd learnt not to underestimate Lydia. He put up his hands in an attempt to plead his innocence. "Lydia, I know you don't have much reason to trust me but we're wasting time."  
Stiles stepped towards her. "Lyds, put the gun down," he said, not looking at Derek, whose eyes were solely fixed on Stiles now.  
"No Stiles! After all the pain they've caused us!" Lydia shouted, then turned her attention back to Derek. "Proud of yourself are you? Of your pack? Stiles told us everything. You're the one who killed the Argents... Who killed Allison-"  
"I would never hurt an innocent girl!" Derek exclaimed, then moved further forward. "Kate Argent burned my family alive, and Victoria was trying to kill one of my betas so I bit her. I didn't kill her, the family’s little code did that. But killing their daughter? A girl who was brought up into this with no choice of her own. Allison was innocent-"  
"Don't say her name! Don't you dare," Lydia screamed at him as she cocked the hammer of the gun into firing position and aimed it at Derek's chest."  
Danny, who had been watching the whole exchange quietly and intently, stepped forward this time. "Lydia, just drop it. It's not gonna kill him anyway."  
Lydia shook her head. "Well it will hurt like a bitch. And it will slow him down."  
"That’s a great idea. Then we’ll be well and truly screwed," Stiles said and Derek’s heart leaped.  
Derek didn’t dare move but the need to know how Stiles felt was tearing at his insides. "Does that mean you need me?"  
"Shut up!" Lydia shouted, re-pointing the gun at him with every word. "Stop talking right now."  
That’s when Stiles stepped forward, and stood in front of the gun. "Put the gun down, Lydia."  
"Why?" Lydia exclaimed. "Because you’ve been shacked up with him for the last week? His kind killed Allison!"  
"And my mom! And my dad! And Scott’s mom and your Dad and Danny’s whole family. But you’re lying to me and to yourself if you say that you would do the same thing if Aiden was staring down the barrel. Or Ethan," Stiles offloaded, looking at Danny when he said Ethan’s name.  
Lydia looked at Danny, who looked at her sympathetically but nodded, as if accepting what Stiles had said. The redhead threw the gun on the bed and turned away from the boys, shaking her head in disagreement.  
"Stiles," Derek said stepping towards him, but the boy put his hand up as if asking him not to come any closer.  
"What are you still doing here Derek?" Stiles asked harshly, though his eyes told a different tale, as they beamed up at him.  
"What have I been trying to tell you this whole time? I am here to protect you from getting killed!"  
Stiles scoffed. "Yeah, you’re here to protect us-"  
"Look I don’t have time to deal with your sarcasm right now! Why else would I be here if I didn’t care about you three getting hurt. The redhead just pointed a gun at my head and this one," he said, pointing at Danny, "is the reason Ethan realised that I wasn’t gonna go through with the plan. And you gave me nothing but crap for the whole first few days I was here."  
"You still managed to earn my trust though," Stiles retorted, his arms crossed, staring Derek down with hurt in his eyes.  
And that’s when it him. Of course Stiles was hurt because of the lies and the betrayal and the fact that Derek was a werewolf. But that wasn’t all that hurt him. Derek had kissed him, he’d slept with him, and he’d told him his deepest darkest secrets (apart from the obvious). And Stiles thought that it was all a lie.  
"Which is why we are no longer going through with the plan. We don’t want Scott hurt any more than you do."  
"Scott?" Lydia said, turning to face him. "Why would Scott get hurt?"  
Shit. Derek froze, unable to even form a sentence.  
"What are you going to do Derek?" Stiles asked, weary.  
Derek looked at the three of them, each staring back at him like he was the villain. And that hurt like hell.  
"Protect him. That’s what I’m gonna do. So if you’re all done making me the bad guy, I suggest you give me the key to Scott’s room so that I can do just that."  
Stiles looked, breathing out an almost pained sigh. "That’s not going to happen,"  
"Stiles, this isn’t the time-"  
"Because I’m coming with you," he said, looking up at Derek, his eyes full of conviction.  
Danny stepped forward. "We are too."  
"The whole point of us bringing you here was to keep you safe."  
Lydia crossed her arms. "It might have escaped your notice, but we have fought werewolf packs before. And I don’t care if this is the Hale pack and Peter is the most skilled alpha in the whole Lycan community. This is still our fight."  
"Fine," Derek said, realising that they’d already wasted enough time arguing. "Just stay behind me."  
Stiles grabbed a gun and chucked it to Danny, who slipped it in the belt of his jeans. Derek had barely noticed it turning pitch dark outside, or the alarm getting slightly quieter, the red flashing light still filling the room. Lydia went to grab a gun but Stiles stopped her. "These are just reinforcement okay, we’re not having you shoot anyone."  
"As if I’m gonna shoot someone," Lydia replied, confused by Stiles’ accusation.  
"Big talk from the girl who just pointed a gun at a guy."  
"At a wolf."  
Stiles sighed. "Stay behind me, and don’t try and fight. Not this time Lyds."  
Lydia would put up a fight but there was seriousness in Stiles’ voice and so much protection in his eyes that she had no choice but to do what he said. Derek’s gut wrenched when he wished that Stiles could look at him like that again.  
"Let’s go," Derek said, leaving the room, along with that last thought behind him.  
\---  
The hallway was silent apart from the noise that the alarm was still making, and the lights had almost fully cut out, so much so that they may not have been able to see if it weren’t for the bright red flashing light. The three humans followed Derek, Danny’s hand on his gun and Stiles not daring to meet Derek’s eye contact whenever he turned back.  
They kept on walking until Derek could hear people coming and stopped in his tracks. That’s when two familiar faces came walking around the corner, smiling at Derek. “Well well well, looks like Derek has changed his mind about following in his uncle’s footsteps,” the woman said, her bare feet pacing towards them as her claws scratched the ground.  
The man smiled as if what she said had been extremely amusing to him. “You know Kali, I always knew that there was nepotism in the mix when Derek got sent to infiltrate the camp. What’s the matter Derek? Scared of killing a few little humans, are we?”  
Derek scowled at him. “They aren’t part of the mission, Ennis.”  
Kali stepped forward, her eyes blackening and her irises turning blood red. “They’re part of our mission.”  
The two of them were about to step forward to fight, until they heard two mighty howls from behind them that filled the entire hallway, and Derek could see Ethan and Aiden stood there, their eyes bright blue as their teeth clattered, and their claws at the ready. “Well they're not part of ours,” Ethan said, growling at their former pack members.  
Ennis lunged for the twins as Kali swung her foot at Derek, who managed to avoid her claws and catch her leg mid-air, flipping her over so she hit the ground. Ennis threw Ethan against the wall as Aiden slashed him across the back, causing the wolf to howl in pain. His brother regained balance on his feet and they continued to fight until Derek caught grip on Kali’s neck, whose eyes widened with shock before Derek slit her throat and she fell to the ground. Ennis saw what happened and howled at Derek, before turning back and punching both the twins in their stomachs, then taking hold of Lydia and putting his claws up to her neck. “No!” Aiden shouted as he got up and ran towards them, both Stiles and Danny holding their guns at Ennis.  
“Come any closer and she’s dead.”  
Derek straightened up, moving cautiously towards Ennis. “Ennis, think about what you’re doing. They are just kids, innocent, clean-handed kids.”  
Ennis chuckled, although there was nothing but resentment in his eyes. “They don’t look so clean-handed to me,” he said, referring to the guns in Stiles’ and Danny’s hands.  
“Well that seems to be working in our favour at the moment,” Danny said unafraid, before nodding at Stiles.  
Ennis looked to Danny bemused by his comment. “What are you talking-”  
He was interrupted by Stiles and Danny both firing bullets into each of his shoulders. It obviously didn’t kill him but the impact caused him to let go of his grip of Lydia’s neck and stumble backwards. Lydia ran to Aiden who pushed her behind him, as Ethan ran up to Ennis and dug his claws into his stomach, before pulling them out and letting the alpha fall the ground next to Kali. For a moment Derek thought that Ethan would be an alpha again, but Ennis being part of an alpha pack as opposed to an alpha of his own pack, meant that his status couldn't be taken when killed by a beta. Before they had any time to celebrate a swarm of wolves came round the corner, howling and seemingly under orders to attack whoever they see. That’s when Derek noticed that Peter hadn’t just invaded with their pack, he had recruited others too. He hardly had anytime to pursue the thought before there were claws and fangs snapping at him. He managed to kill three of them before he heard Ethan screaming that they had to go find Scott to which he replied that he’d catch up with him. When Derek had managed to kill all of the wolves, with the help of the twins and the extra gun power, he realised that they’d not only been separated from Ethan, but from Danny and Stiles too. He turned to see Aiden going up to Lydia.  
“Are you okay?” Aiden asked worriedly, going to touch her neck.  
She swatted his hand away. “I’m fine,” the girl said harshly, crossing her arms.  
Derek couldn’t believe that he was feeling sympathetic towards the girl, considering she’d held a gun at his head just ten minutes ago. But she was now stuck in the presence of two wolves, one of which she most probably had feelings for only an hour prior. “Lydia, I know you’re pissed but we just saved your lives. Surely that tells you where our loyalty lies, doesn’t it?”  
"Why does it matter? You lied."  
Derek knew how this conversation went, he'd had it himself. He felt like telling them that they were wasting time and that they had to get to Scott, but he knew the importance of at least trying to earn back their trust, so he let Aiden plead with her. "I know Lydia, I know! But I have never wanted to hurt you, ever!"  
"That's not just it, Aiden!" Lydia shouted, finally losing her cool.  
"Then what is it?" Aiden asked, trying really hard not to shout back at her.  
"When you came here I knew you were probably a bad boy. Which is exactly the kind of guy I would go for. It shouldn't be, but it is. And you were hardly complaining right? No commitment, no strings attached. Until Stiles unravelled your magnificent plan. So now I know."  
"Now you know what?"  
Lydia looked at him almost sympathetically, yet she didn't seem apologetic about what she was about to say, as if it was something that had to be voiced. "You're not just a bad boy, Aiden. You're a bad guy. And I don't want to be with the bad guys."  
Derek saw Aiden’s face, and he seemed to be more hurt than he’d ever been before. So he desperately tried to diffuse the situation somehow.  
“Aiden,” he said carefully, trying not to seem too insensitive. “We need to go.”  
The beta nodded before turning away from the girl. “I’d be more helpful if I had a weapon,” she said resentfully.  
Derek saw the gun in Aiden’s belt and decided that maybe making her feel a bit more helpful would stop her from acting so cold. Something told him that Lydia most probably hated not being useful, something that might have been a product of Allison’s death. He pulled the gun from Aiden’s belt and handed it to Lydia. “Happy Birthday. Don’t shoot me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to include a Dean Winchester quote somewhere.


	14. Chapter 14

By the time they made it to the Far East entrance, they’d cut down every wolf that had gotten in their way, Lydia actually aiding them in killing the wolves, which made sense the more Derek thought about. She may hate werewolves but she obviously trusted the two of them at least a little bit more than all of Peter’s army. Derek saw that the infirmary, as well as the canteen, was completely empty and the lights were out, the dim kerosene lights and the red flashing alarm being the only providers of light in the otherwise pitch black hallway. He didn’t know whether Ethan, Stiles and Danny had made it to Scott’s room so he banged on the door. After waiting for a moment, he decided that this really wasn’t the time for chivalry and so he kicked down the door, receiving a “You really enjoying that, don’t you?” from Lydia.  
“They’re not here,” he said worriedly, but remembered to retrieve extra ammo for Lydia, who reloaded the gun and exited the room.  
Aiden was going to ask what to do next, until they heard a cry from around the corner that sounded like one person in particular, as Stiles yelled Scott’s name.  
The three of them ran round the corner and pushed the door to see the remainder of Peter’s pack outside the compound with him at the forefront, Cora beside him holding a man’s hands behind his back with a sack over their head. Stiles, Danny and Ethan were being held down and kneeling on the ground by three wolves with Bobby next to them, the only other survivor. Their faces were bruised and bloodied, and Isaac was knelt on the other side of the pack, beside Scott, who was lying on the ground, the side of his stomach exposed to reveal the fresh werewolf bite that was bleeding heavily from his hip.  
\---  
“Peter, no!” Derek cried as he, Aiden and Lydia came to a halt across from his uncle.  
He looked up at his nephew with a smirk, as Cora tried and failed to avoid his eye contact, the slight amount of guilt creeping onto her face, but there was nothing but pride and conviction in her stance. “It’s too late Derek. Your foolish plan to stop us ended as quickly as it began. Heaven knows why you thought you’d be a match for us.”  
Lydia held her gun up at Peter, until a wolf, that neither Derek nor Aiden recognised, hit it out of her hands and pushed her to the ground. “Leave her alone,” Aiden barked at him, his eyes glowing blue, before he received a low punch in the stomach and stumbled to the ground beside Lydia.  
“Enough!” Isaac shouted, standing up from where he was knelt on the ground.  
The wolf who had hit Aiden prepared himself to fight Isaac until Peter held up his hand, as if to stop him, while Aiden stood back up next to Derek. “He’s right, that’s enough. After all, surely the great leader Scott McCall would want to know why it is we invaded the camp,” Peter announced, looking at Scott who was still trying to catch his breath on the ground.  
“As if it was for anything other than power,” Ethan growled, receiving him a punch in the face from the wolf that stood beside him.  
Derek looked over to where he was knelt, spitting blood out of his mouth, and had to force himself to not look at Stiles or run over to protect him. “Actually, Ethan, there was always a more elaborate plan in the mix,” Peter stated with the utmost superiority, and then turned to Derek. “Despite whatever lies my nephew has been spouting to you.”  
Derek wanted to say something, but was somehow at a loss for words, and having a petty family dispute about how much information his uncle kept from him seemed a little inappropriate at this moment in time. “Why don’t you enlighten us then?” Derek shouted over the dull noise of the alarm from inside that everyone had become accustomed to.  
Peter smiled, as if what he was about to say was of the utmost importance, and he commanded the space with such arrogance that made Derek want to claw his eyes out. “I trust all of you in the camp remember your trusted friend, Dr. Deaton,” he said as Cora pulled the sack off of the man’s head to reveal a bald, dark skinned man with a goatee and various bruises upon his face.  
“Deaton!” Stiles cried, as Scott gasped in shock, and Derek looked to Stiles as if pleading with him to keep quiet. He didn’t know what he would do with himself if Stiles got hurt.  
Peter walked over to Stiles and grabbed his chin, lifting it up gently, which unnerved Derek and made him step forward, until Aiden steadied him. He knew the cost of protecting the person you cared about was being punched in the gut after all, and Derek was much more use to them on full power. “You must be Stiles,” Peter said, in such a manner that made Derek’s skin crawl.  
“What’s it to you?” Stiles remarked viciously.  
That’s when Peter’s claws came out and traced over Stiles’ cheek and then over his neck, which pushed Derek’s buttons. “Don’t touch him!” Derek yelled, and much to his surprise, Peter obeyed his nephew, retracting his claws and instead walking over to Lydia.  
Aiden’s eyes glowed blue as Peter walked past him to stand in front of Lydia. “Come on, let her go. That’s no way to treat a lady of such beauty,” he said to the wolf behind the girl, his hand resting under her chin as she stood up.  
She moved her face away from his grasp and stood on the other side of Aiden, between him and Derek. She looked at Peter with disgust until his face turned from a menacing expression to a peculiar mix of utter shock as well as admiration. “So it’s true… They were right about you too. Even being near you I can just… Feel it.”  
“What are you talking about?” Lydia asked, looking at the man as if he was crazy.  
Peter chuckled in a stunned sort of manner. “You really do have no idea do you? I don’t mean to bring back bad memories Lydia, I truly don’t. But you were bitten weren’t you? Tell me what happened after that.”  
Derek, Isaac and the twins all looked at the girl in a totally different way. They had had no indication of her having bitten, firstly because she wasn’t a wolf, but mostly because, if she had rejected the bite, she wouldn’t be stood where she was. “I rejected the bite and I had a breakdown. Then I got better.”  
Peter made a noise as if contemplating what she had said. “Very interesting. I believe you of course, except for one little detail that doesn’t seem to add up. If you reject the bite, you can’t simply get better. Can you… Derek?” Peter said, looking to his nephew, who knew all too well about the fate of someone who rejects the bite.  
“No,” Derek said with a plain face in order to not show even a glimpse of emotion to his uncle. “No you can’t.”  
Peter nodded and reassumed his position beside Cora and the man whose arms she was still holding firmly together behind his back. He lifted the sack from his head to reveal a dark, bald man with a goatee, his face bruised and bloodied.  
“I’m assuming you don’t remember Dr. Alan Deaton, Derek. Your sister didn’t either.”  
Derek looked at the man who gave him a sympathetic, almost loving look, as if he deeply wanted to protect him. “I’ve never seen him before in my life,” Derek confessed.  
“He’s a druid.”  
“What does that mean?” Lydia asked, her breath hitching slightly.  
Derek looked at her at an attempt to explain, yet he couldn’t make the connection himself. “The druids were the ones who taught Lycaon how to control the shift. They act as advisors, emissaries to the werewolf packs,” he informed them all, then looked at Peter to show that he didn’t understand.  
Peter sighed, and for a moment it seemed as though he had genuine emotive feelings about what he was going to say. “And he was an emissary to your mother. To the entire Hale pack.”  
Derek breathed uneasily. All the whispers and hushed conversations between Peter and his recruits about ‘the doctor’ started to make sense to Derek now. They had been keeping him prisoner for the last two months, he just didn’t know why. “But that’s beside the point… For now anyway. As Lydia’s old boss, the man noticed how strangely she was acting after her so-called recovery. And as a druid he knew that she should have died if she didn’t turn. Luckily for him, his suspicions were cleared up when the girl confided in him, herself.”  
“What is he talking about, Lyds?” Stiles asked, not taking his eyes off of the girl.  
Lydia looked at Deaton who looked at her, an apologetic look on his face. “I’m so very sorry, Lydia. I had to tell him,” the man said, his voice hoarse from the amount of screaming he had probably been doing through the torture he’d endured.  
Before Lydia could speak or defend herself, Peter was revealing her secret to everyone. “Lydia felt the need to confide in someone about the nightmares she’d been getting. Of course, at first Dr. Deaton simply thought they were a result of the breakdown, a backlash as it were, as well as all of the screaming. I’m sure he can tell you how many times she had woken people with her wails during her breakdown. That’s all everyone thought it was, even the intelligent doctor here. Until her nightmares began to come true. Which is why she had to tell Deaton that she had one about Allison’s death.”  
Seeing how angry and frustrated Lydia was getting, Aiden stepped in. “What’s your point, Peter?”  
“You tell me, Aiden,” Peter retaliated. “You may not have the sharpest claws in the pack but surely you can figure it out. Premonitions, screaming and crying out, having survived the bite without turning…”  
“A wailing woman,” Derek whispered to himself.  
Peter looked to the boy. “What was that, nephew?”  
There was a slight pause before Derek looked at the girl stood beside him, having made sense of it all. “She’s a banshee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe.


	15. Chapter 15

“What does that… have to do with me?” Scott huffed out, as he attempted to stand up, Aiden reaching out a hand to help him.  
“I’m very glad you asked that Scott. You see, your old veterinary boss Deaton here, wasn’t just taken by us because of Lydia. We needed other information.”  
“What other information?” Derek asked.  
“Well about Scott of course.”  
Scott’s breathing was audibly uneasy and he had a look of pure confusion and anger on his face, possibly a result of the pain from being bitten too. “What about me?”  
Peter let out a sigh full of impatience and condescension. “Oh Scott, poor innocent Scott. You have no idea either, do you?”  
Scott shook his head in an inquisitive manner, as if wondering why he would know anything, so Peter continued. “I mean we’ve all heard the rumours right? Well I mean everyone in the Lycan community, anyway. The great Scott McCall, leader of the largest camp in the resistance. The almost son-in-law to Chris Argent, greatest hunter that ever lived,” the man said coldly, almost resentfully, that last comment making Scott’s fists clench. “I didn’t believe these rumours at first of course, I mean they were absurd to me at the time. Which is where your friend here comes in,” he continued gesturing to Deaton, who was pushed forward forcefully by Cora, receiving a stern look from her brother. “Only, it was still so hard to tell if any of it was true. Until my man on the inside here reported the story that made it all make sense. The story about Scott’s mother.”  
Derek’s whole body tensed, and he could see Stiles do the same thing out of the corner of his eye. He looked over at the boy, whose lips curled into a frown but in a more overly emotional way than in an angry one, and then he looked to the ground shaking his head, as if he had been so foolish to ever trust him. And Derek was lying if he said that that didn’t hurt him more than anything ever had in his life.  
His train of thought was interrupted when Scott spoke, with nothing but sheer anger in his voice now, seemingly ignoring the fresh pain in his side. “What are you talking about?”  
Peter breathed in, his lips pursed, and tutted whilst looking at Stiles. “Now, now, now Stiles. You mean to tell me that you didn’t tell him how mommy dearest bit the dust? Whatever happened to undying loyalty between best friends?”  
“Shut up,” Stiles barked, his voice ripe with resentment and vigour.  
“But then you won’t hear the best part. We know who the wolf who killed Scott’s mother is, don’t we Derek? His name is Deucalion. Oh and by the way he is actually blind, so the whole old blind man thing, well that’s just rude-”  
“Get to the point Peter,” Derek rushed him. He didn’t want Scott to be listening to any of this just as much as Stiles didn’t, but he knew that Peter would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.  
“Very well. But I don’t think Stiles would appreciate you rushing me to finish. After all that’s not the only thing you’ve been hiding from your best companion, is it?”  
“That’s enough!” Stiles screamed, standing up suddenly causing the wolf behind him to push him back down to the ground violently.  
Derek growled through fangs, his anger growing so high, and his instinct to protect Stiles taking over. Scott was merely staring helplessly at Stiles, as if he didn’t even know who he was.  
“Actually, Stiles, it’s not enough. We all think Scott has a right to know don’t we?” Peter asked as his pack all nodded in agreement, gearing him on.  
“Then tell me! What do I have a right to know?!” Scott yelled, evidently overcome by all this new information, as well as the impending fate of him becoming the very species he despised, and had spent his whole life trying to defeat.  
“Deucalion was blinded by one of the greatest hunters that there ever was. Unfortunately he lived by an older, much more brutal code. Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent.”  
“We hunt those who hunt us,” Scott whispered to himself as if making the connection.  
Peter nodded. “Gerard Argent was the one to blind Deucalion who then made it his mission to build a pack of alphas, and gain vengeance on those who wronged him. Ethan and Aiden would know, wouldn’t you? Seeing as you were part of his pack.”  
“And we left the moment we realised that all he cared about was power.”  
“Precisely!” Peter remarked, pointing at Ethan as if he’d found the answer. “And that is exactly what he was trying to find at that hospital. Stiles knows it, Chris Argent knows it, even your girlfriend knew it!”  
That was when an arrow hit one of the wolves behind Peter, and everyone turned to see Chris Argent approaching the entrance of the compound, crossbow in hand, with Jackson beside him holding a hunting gun. “Whatever it is that we knew, Peter, I’m sure can be discussed privately. Unless your need for constant theatrics must be satisfied by an audience of innocent teenagers.”  
Peter nodded patronisingly. “I’m afraid so, Chris. But you’re always welcome to join us.”  
Derek’s attention having been on Chris and Peter’s encounter, was interrupted when he heard Scott make a pained sound, the bite obviously affecting him, as much as he tried to fight it.  
“What.. do they.. know?” Scott spat out through jagged breaths.  
“Your great partner here managed to track down Deucalion. Only he didn’t tell you, did he Scott? No, no, no. Instead he entrusted your best friend, Stiles, to go with him and his daughter and ask Deucalion exactly why he attacked your mother only to get to you.”  
Scott shook his head. “You’re lying.”  
“I wish I were Scott. But it’s true, the newspaper article would tell you that. If Stiles had actually shown it to you,” Peter chuckled.  
“Stop this!” Derek shouted, seeing the distress that it was causing both Scott and Stiles.  
“Tell him Stiles,” Peter continued, completely disregarding Derek’s plea. “Tell your best friend how you kept the truth about his mother’s death from him and about his girlfriend’s! Tell him how she went with you and Chris to get information and that you failed to save her. Tell him how he dug his claws into her stomach and you left her there to die!”  
“That’s not what happened!” Stiles screamed pushing off the ground and away from the wolf who was holding him down.  
That’s when the wolf grabbed Stiles’ neck and held his claws up to his throat.  
“No!” Derek screamed, ready to run at the wolf and rip him to shreds.  
“Don’t kill him,” Peter said calmly. “Take him away. Take the other humans as well.”  
The wolf and another dragged Chris and Jackson, whose weapons they took, as well as Lydia, Danny and Stiles away, as he shouted to Scott. “Don’t listen, Scott! He’s trying to trick you, don’t listen to him!”  
Once they’d been pulled into the locker room, through the infirmary, Scott was breathing so heavily that it sounded like he was going to pass out from shock.  
“Scott, you need to-” Isaac began, but Scott had no interest in listening to him anymore.  
“Why did he do it? Deucalion.. Why did he kill them?”  
Peter stared him down, obviously intending to be difficult. “To get to you, of course.”  
“But why?!” Derek shouted, fed up of his uncle’s malevolent superiority. “What did Deucalion want with him? What do you want with him?”  
“Come on Derek! Surely you can figure that one out. I mean you’ve spent more time with him than I have. One who has never taken an innocent life, full of virtue and purity, strong character and will.”  
Derek’s whole body tensed up as Isaac and the twins both looked to him, as if understanding what Peter was trying to say.  
“No…” Aiden said disbelievingly.  
“It’s true,” Peter announced. “Scott McCall will become a true alpha.”  
Scott looked to Derek. “What’s a true alpha?”  
“A werewolf who becomes an Alpha solely by strength of character and will. True Alphas are rare, only appearing once in a 100 years and their status cannot be stolen if they were slain, like a regular Alpha,” Derek recited as Peter clapped, stepping forwards towards them.  
“And now you see. That’s why I need you in my pack, Scott. You are meant for greatness. With you we would be undefeatable. What do you have to lose Scott, your mother died so that you could live, not be killed at the hand of the wolf who killed her and the love of your life. Think about Allison. You wouldn’t want her to die in vain-”  
“Scott, you know Allison wouldn’t want this,” Isaac said kneeling down.  
The boy looked up at him harshly. “You have no idea what Allison would want!” Scott barked at him, making Isaac back off, a look that was both anger and sadness on his face.  
Derek empathised with him, as that was exactly how he felt when Stiles had turned him away.  
“Come on, Scott. Your friends lied to you and deserted you when you needed them most. This is who you were meant to be, this is your fate, Scott. You are destined to be great. Join me. Join us,” Peter said, raising his hands as if welcoming Scott to his pack, who cheered him on and echoed Peter’s words.  
Even though Scott’s head was reeling, he managed to stand up. Isaac ready to catch him if his injury got the better of him. The pack cheered and got ready to welcome Scott, who finally straightened up as Peter shushed his pack, anticipating Scott’s answer. “What do you say, Scott?”  
Scott stumbled a bit, but then steadied himself before giving his answer to Peter. “Never.”  
Peter’s face dropped, and the whole pack was silent, the only sound being Derek letting out the breath he must have been holding in, and Ethan laughing softly through his nose. Isaac took Scott’s arm to steady him and Derek went to walk towards Peter and make some kind of negotiation. That was until Peter stepped forward before saying, “Fine, have it your way,” and running towards Scott, his claws out.  
“Peter, no!” Derek screamed, until Aiden ran in between Scott and Peter.  
That was when Peter’s claws dug into Aiden’s stomach and they all heard Lydia scream his name as Ethan pushed the wolf off of him and ran towards his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so fucking sorry.


	16. Chapter 16

Peter ripped his claws out of Aiden and backed off as he fell to the ground in front of Scott and Isaac. Derek rushed towards him, as Ethan broke his fall, wrapping his arms around him to hold him up straight. Aiden sobbed, wincing as he spat back blood from his lips and Derek knelt by his side. None of them spoke for a while, Ethan’s gut wrenching as he tried to press down on Aiden’s wounds at a misguided attempt at prolonging his life for even a minute longer. The wounded wolf choked on the black liquid coming from his mouth and tried to compose himself.  
“Does it hurt you as much as it hurts me?” Aiden asked his twin, seeing the disadvantage of their close connection for the first time.   
Ethan sobbed, trying to compose himself, before whispering “Yeah,” his voice breaking as he did so, making the word sound almost completely non-existent.  
Aiden nodded, looking to his brother. “It’s okay.”  
Ethan tried to mimic his brother’s actions by nodding, as if letting him know that it was all okay, while his entire world was crumbling. “Lydia never believed I was one of the good guys anyway.”  
Derek breathed in, his breath hitching as he watched Ethan press his head against his twin's and kiss it softly as tears streamed down his face and Aiden choked out sobs and more black blood. "She'll believe me," Derek said, trying his hardest not to break down.  
Aiden nodded again as Ethan rocked him in his arms, until his eyes shut and Ethan laid him down as he breathed out his last breath. Ethan rested his head down onto Aiden's chest sobbing violently on top of the body of his dead brother.  
Derek looked up to see Peter standing there, frozen in disbelief. He wasn't upset though, he didn't look guilty or remorseful. He was just shocked. And it made Derek's blood boil. “Well that was his fault.”   
Derek rushed towards his uncle and punched him in the face. They continued to fight as Cora let Deaton go and stepped forward. "Derek, stop!"  
Another wolf went to run at them but Isaac ran forward and caught him, pushing him to the ground and knocking him out with a punch. Suddenly Derek got the upperhand and stood behind Peter, one hand around his neck and the other holding back his arm. "This ends here!" Derek shouted as he looked at Peter's pack. "You just saw your great leader, General Hale, kill an innocent boy."  
Peter choked out a little chuckle. "The colour of his eyes told a different story," he said, causing Derek to tighten the grip around his neck.  
"The bloodshed ends here! No more vicious killings, no more bloodthirsty attacks! Do you hear me?!"  
Peter laughed once more. "You foolish boy. It will never be over. You think everyone is going to put behind a decades old feud because you barked out some orders. Your words mean nothing!"  
Ethan had stopped sobbing and started to march towards Peter. He stopped when he was standing right in front of the alpha, his wet anger turning dry and vicious. His claws out. "Do you want to know what it felt like when you killed my brother?"   
Cora stepped forward again. "Ethan, what are you doing?"  
"It felt something like this," Ethan said, digging his claws into Peter's stomach as Derek held him back, but not deep enough to kill him. "But that wasn't how it felt for me. I may have felt Aiden's pain, the claws in his stomach. But that was nothing compared to the dagger in my heart," the boy spat out viciously, dragging his claws up Peter's torso and pulling them out from his sternum.   
It wasn't enough to kill him, but it sure as hell took away the injustice that Ethan felt. "He's all yours Derek," he said as he turned around to see Cora running towards her brother, but Ethan caught her by her forearm. "You've taken Derek's alpha status away from him once before. I won't let you do it again."  
He nodded to Derek who stood with conviction as he slit his uncle's throat, and dropped him to the ground. He would be lying if he said that there wasn’t some pain in killing the man who almost rose him, who was a best friend to him and stood by him all of those years. But it had to be done. His blue eyes glowed red as he turned to the pack, who gasped and whispered to each other.  
"Those of you who wish to fight, you stay and fight. But be warned, you will not leave here alive. But if you hear what I'm saying, then you will go and tell your packs that General Hale is dead, and that the bloodshed stops now. The war ends. Tonight."  
The pack stood still for a moment but then all fled, apart from the wolf who Isaac had punched, who picked up Peter’s body and carried away. Whether the pack was telling the truth or not was a different matter, but it would have to do for now. Isaac went up to Deaton and cut the ropes around his hands with his claws as Ethan let go of Cora’s arm and walked back to his brother’s body. The girl stepped forward, seemingly distressed at the death of her uncle, but she didn't understand the consequences of letting him live. "What did you do?" she hissed at Derek.  
“He did what he had to do, Cora,” Isaac stated, at an attempt to calm Derek’s raging sister.  
“And who the hell are you to decide that?” Cora continued to argue, looking straight at Derek.  
Derek looked at his sister then as if he didn’t even know who she was. She had always been a strong-willed character but she wasn’t heartless or careless. “Did you not just witness what happened? Your precious uncle-”  
“Our uncle!”  
“He killed Aiden! And that was after he turned Scott and then tried to kill him for not joining his pack. Or do you really not care about anyone else?”  
Cora scowled at Derek. “They are humans Derek-”  
“They are innocent kids who are no older than you are!” Derek shouted at her.  
“Are you saying that you’d sooner see me dead than your precious camp?”  
Derek looked at her like she was crazy, an almost appalled look on his face. “Everything that I have ever done has been to protect you, ever since I got you back. Peter used you, just like he used me, like he used everyone around him. I miss the best friend that I had when I was growing up but that wasn’t him anymore. He changed after the fire, like you and I did, but he changed for the worse. I didn’t want him dead any more than you did. But kneeling beside Aiden’s body as his twin wept for his loss made everything more clear in my mind. He didn’t care about his pack, he didn’t care about us. He only cared about himself.”  
His sister was quiet then, so Isaac felt that it was an appropriate time to interject. “Derek, the infirmary. There are two wolves still in there.”  
Saying it was like flicking a switch in Derek’s brain. He had to get to Stiles. He ran to the infirmary, followed by his sister and Isaac who held Deaton up, helping him to walk faster, and Ethan who lingered by his brother for a moment but then followed. When Derek got to the infirmary, all the blinds were down, and he could hear Lydia sobbing through the thin walls. “Stiles! Lydia? Open the door!”   
When no answer came, he kicked the door down and entered the infirmary. He couldn’t see anyone until he rounded the corner to see everyone, including Chris and Jackson on the floor, as if they had been taken hostage by the two wolves, who were standing, ready to fight. One of them had long, rugged hair and they both had dishevelled clothing, as if Peter had merely pulled people off of the streets and turned them, in the week that Derek was gone.  
“Where’s Peter?” one of them said, trying to assert some authority but, looking more nervous than anything  
“He’s dead,” Derek said calmly, somewhat regretfully, but only when thinking of the boy he spent time with in high school, not the man who just killed Aiden.  
The other wolf stepped forward. “You’re lying.”  
“It’s true,” Cora said bitterly. “We’d show you the body but one of the wolves took it with them when they fled.”  
“Fled?”  
Derek stepped forward, asserting his dominance. “After I killed Peter, I gave them a choice, either stay and fight or leave, as long as the bloodshed stops here. The war is over.”  
Derek heard the sighs of reliefs from the humans on the floor, but the wolves didn’t take the information lightly. “And who are you to make that decision?”  
That’s when Derek found a way to both prove that Peter was dead, as well as make them obey him. “I’m the alpha,” he announced, his eyes turning bright red as he glared at the wolves.  
They backed off, evidently surprised, but didn’t stand down. “Well you’re not ours.”  
“That’s right,” Derek said. “Your alpha is dead. You’re omegas now, but you don’t have to be. You can leave here and return to the pack like the others. But you aren’t going to kill any more humans. The war is over. And anyone who tries to spill any more blood will die. At the hands of my pack.”  
They both looked at each other until the quieter wolf spoke. “Like he said. You’re not our alpha.”  
The wolves both lunged for Derek and Isaac shouted at all of the humans to get out. Everyone, including Deaton who Cora carried outside, managed to make it out of the room, until one of the wolves turned around and caught Stiles, throwing him against one of the lockers. The wolf barricaded the door, so Isaac couldn’t get back in and Stiles sat up against the locker, pain resonating through every nerve in his body. He could just about bring himself to edge to the side, but his efforts were futile as the wolf approached him, his claws out, ready to kill Stiles.  
That was when Derek killed the other wolf and then lunged for the one above Stiles. They punched and scratched at each other, the omega slicing shallow cuts across Derek’s torso, ripping his shirt. Stiles didn’t know whether Derek would survive much longer, until he grabbed the wolf by the throat and lifted him up, his eyes glowing red as the wolf kicked the air at an attempt to writhe out of Derek’s grasp. Derek dropped the wolf onto the floor as he tried to catch his breath, until Derek dug his claws into his neck before slicing it.   
His own injuries got the better of him and he fell to his knees, both he and Stiles breathing heavily through the pain. “You saved me,” Stiles said, in between breaths. “Why?”  
“Things changed,” was all Derek could bring himself to say, but Stiles pressed on.  
“What changed?”  
Derek looked at Stiles then, the same way he had the first time they kissed in that same room. He still didn’t want to admit it, but the way his feelings had developed for this boy in such a short period of time scared the crap out of him. Especially, because he knew nothing could ever come of it now. “I wasn’t supposed to fall for you.”  
Stiles just sat there, his big brown eyes wide, his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth open. It wasn’t the exact reaction Derek had wanted but it was what he had expected. In some ways it was better than what he had expected, because Stiles looked like he actually believed Derek which took away some of the pain of Stiles thinking all of their time together had been a lie.  
They both got up and pulled away the desk that was in front of the door to greet everyone outside. “Oh my god, Derek. Are you okay?” Cora said running towards him as he watched Lydia cling onto Stiles for dear life, Ethan standing by her side.  
By the tears that were running down her face and the way she was holding Stiles, he had obviously told her about Aiden, the thought of which made Derek feel sick. He scanned the group of people until noticing an evident absence.   
“Where’s Scott?” Lydia exclaimed, causing the whole group ran around the corner and out of the doors to see Scott standing outside, a gun in his hand.  
And its barrel pressed to his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I need to stop apologising, but I have so much to apologise for.


	17. Chapter 17

“Scott!” Stiles yelled as he ran forward, ignoring all of the pain in his body.  
He stopped when he saw the definitive look on Scott’s face, as if he’d already made up his mind. No one dared to say a word. For Derek, Isaac, Ethan and Cora, and even those who knew him like Chris, Jackson and Deaton, they wouldn't know where to start.  
“There’s no hope,” the boy said dimly, causing Derek to cover his mouth in shock.  
He’d seen some earth-shatteringly heart-breaking things in the past week, from the way they were all grieving Allison’s death to Stiles telling Derek about his mom and the sheriff. But other than Aiden’s death, this was the most shocking and upsetting thing to have come out of the fight. And it made Derek feel sick to his stomach to see a seventeen year old boy wanting to take his own life. “What do you mean, Scott?” Lydia asked in between sobs, tears still running down her face. “There’s always hope.”  
The irony of Lydia talking Scott out of taking his own life after she most likely knew that Aiden was protecting him when he died, as well as still being in shock at finding out that she was a banshee, just reinforced to Derek how brave this girl was. Any remaining bitterness about her attempting to kill him or jealousy of her and Stiles’ history disappeared then, and Derek was nothing if not simply in awe of the girl. “Not for me. Not for Aiden,” the boy said, looking at the body of the twin, which was still in the same place Ethan had left him.  
Ethan stepped forward, and acted just as bravely as Lydia had, despite the fact that he probably wanted to be in Scott’s position at that point, and pull the trigger. “Aiden wasn’t your fault. You know Aiden wasn’t your fault.”  
“Every time I try to fight back, it just gets worse. People keep getting hurt. People keep getting killed. And now I'm like this, I've become a..." Scott trailed off as his hand hovered over the bite, and if it weren't for the presence of the three wolves who had saved his life, as well as Aiden having given up his life for Scott's, he might have called himself a monster.   
Derek didn't want to interject, if anything he felt unworthy of it. But he had to do something. "We can help you Scott. Ethan, Isaac and I. We know what you're going through, them more than me. They were bitten just like you Scott, they were human before. This doesn't have to be the end for you. We can help you become great, but for the right reasons, not just to use you for your power."  
Scott shook his head, as if he was hearing what Derek was saying, but still didn't believe that there was any hope left for him. Stiles, who was still shaking, treaded carefully and stepped further forward towards Scott. “Scott, listen to me, okay? This isn't you, alright? This is the bite and the grief of Aiden’s death… the grief of Allison’s death making you to do this-”  
“What if it isn't?” Scott interrupted him, and every word just made Derek more anxious about the boy following through and pulling the trigger. “What if it is just me? What if doing this is actually the best thing that I could do for everyone else?”  
Stiles and Lydia both shook their heads, Stiles about the protest when Scott continued. “It all started that night, the night I met Allison. When we met the Argents and Chris recruited us to join the resistance. You remember the way it was before that? You and me, we were... we were nothing. We weren't popular. We weren't good at lacrosse. We weren't important. We were no one. Maybe I should just be no one again. No one at all,” Scott said, his voice breaking, as he repositioned the gun to his head, causing Stiles’ breath to hitch.  
“Scott, just listen to me, okay? You're not no one. Okay? You're someone, you're... Scott, you're my best friend. Okay? And I need you. Scott, you're my brother. All right, so... so if you're gonna do this, then…” Stiles said as he stepped forward and put his head on Scott’s shoulder so that they would both be hit if Scott shot the gun. “I think you're just gonna have to take me with you.”  
They stayed like that for a while, everyone watching intently as Scott sniffed but stood frozen and Stiles slowly moved his hand up to reach Scott’s and ply the gun out of it. He threw it behind him and everyone, including Derek, breathed out as Stiles grabbed Scott’s neck and clung to him tightly, as if his life depended on it.   
\---  
Getting rid of Aiden's body was the hardest thing Derek had ever had to do. For the most part it was figuring out what to do with it. After Scott's attempt at taking his life, Ethan and Lydia had sat with the body for a long while, sobbing and crying until finally they were all cried out. Derek and Isaac helped to manoeuvre his body into the infirmary as well as everyone else who was hurt. Having Deaton back was a blessing to Danny and Lydia, who helped their boss to get everyone patched up and remove at least the physical pain that the evening had brought. No one said a word as the three workers stitched them or bandaged them up.   
The reality of Aiden being gone hit Derek like a train, feeling odd to even look at Ethan without his mirror image by his side. Ethan couldn't describe how he was feeling to anyone else. Where his heart used to be now felt like a black hole, his life purposeless without his brother there with him. Even though they lost the ability to join into their single alpha wolf when they lost their alpha status, Ethan always considered them to be connected, tethered to each other since their birth. In that way, Ethan had lost a part of himself tonight. He had lost half of who he was. Seeing Scott go to take his own life and the suffering that that would cause was the only thing keeping him from doing the same at the moment. But he knew that if he was going to do it, there would be nothing anyone could say to stop him.  
Deaton gave orders for everyone to get to bed and no one disobeyed. Everyone slept in whichever room they could find, the casualties of the evening leaving the compound empty and hollow. Lydia offered to stay in the room with Scott, also to comfort herself in her time of need, considering she had just discovered that she was as much a magical creature as the species she’d been trying to defeat for almost her whole life. Scott offered to sleep on the floor but Lydia wouldn't have it. She reminded him that they'd been friends for so long, and if they couldn't share a bed when they both clearly needed the company, then their relationship would be much less close than both of them knew it to be. Stiles didn't want to sleep in another person's room though, and so made the short journey back to his room. Derek hugged Ethan as well as Isaac, who slept in Ethan's bed while Ethan took refuge in Danny's arms for the night, his shaking and sobbing only lasting a few hours before he finally drifted to sleep.  
When Derek got back to Stiles’ room, he had no idea whether the boy would shout at him, welcome him in, or even shoot him. What he was not expecting was to walk in and see every newspaper article ripped off the wall, drawing pins and bits of string all over the floor around Stiles who was on his knees hunched over, his fingers and palms red, bloody, and shaking, from scratching the wall.   
“Jesus Christ, Stiles.” He rushed in and bent down to take Stiles' hands. “Hey, hey,” Derek said as he squeezed Stiles’ shoulder with his other hand and willed him to look at him, which he did eventually, his eyes tearful and heavy with exhaustion. If Stiles had any energy in him, he may have batted him away. But he was too exhausted to fight. He let Derek pick him up off the floor and walk him to the bathroom. He sat Stiles down on the toilet seat as he turned on the weak tap and dampened the cloth that was by the bar of soap. He took Stiles hands and dabbed at his fingers, wiping away the blood. None of the wounds were that deep, simply various cuts and scratches and Stiles continued to watch Derek, whose focus was solely on getting Stiles' hands completely clean before he went to bed. He blocked the sink and filled it with lukewarm water turning Stiles round to put his hands in the water, which received a wince as his cuts started to sting and Derek said the first full sentence that he had said to him since confessing that he had feelings for him. "Let them soak for a couple of minutes. Don't want the cuts to get infected," Derek instructed, hardly looking at Stiles.  
He walked back into the room and began to pick up the drawing pins, putting them into the box that Stiles had on his desk. He did the same with the articles that were still somewhat legible, but put the stray pieces of ripped up newspaper in the bin, along with the rope. Once the floor was sufficiently clear, apart from tiny pieces of paper that indicated that the room probably needed a good sweep, Derek made a mental note to sort out the wall tomorrow. He'd been so deep in concentration that he hadn't even noticed Stiles come back into the room, standing in the bathroom doorway.  
The two of them stood there for a while, simply looking at each other until Derek mustered an apologetic smile, for all that had happened between them. Much to Derek's relief, Stiles returned the smile and Derek nodded to him, before they both moved towards their beds. That was until Stiles grabbed Derek's arm and spun him around, wrapping his arms around the man's shoulders and embracing him, clinging onto him tightly as Derek put his arms around the boy's tight waist. There was something quite desperate about the hug, but if made Derek so much happier, and was definitely what they both needed at that time.   
After a substantial amount of time passed, Stiles loosened his grip around Derek's neck and Derek's hand dropped from Stiles' back. They got into their beds without another word, and waited for sleep to take them.  
\---  
When Derek awoke from his sleep, the minimal amount he got anyway, he looked over at Stiles, who was still deep in sleep. He contemplated waking him, but thought better of it. He walked out of the room, slowly and quietly shut the door. On his walk to the canteen he noticed the blood-stained walls, yet the absence of any bodies. He then remembered that Deaton and Danny had stayed up a bit longer than everyone else to get rid of the bodies, no doubt leaving them to be cremated instead of buried. They didn’t dare touch Aiden’s though. Not until they’d spoken to Ethan about it first.  
When Derek opened the doors of the canteen, he didn’t know what to expect. But much to his relief, the lights were on and Bobby was sat at one of the tables, having made sandwiches for everyone, the strain of all his staff being dead evidently taking its toll, and Chris, Jackson and Deaton were sat at the table next to him, with Isaac opposite them. Derek could see Lydia in the kitchen, putting away some of the food, evidently keeping herself busy and making herself as useful as possible.   
Chris looked up at Derek with a facial expression that he couldn’t really read but, by the looks of it, he seemed to be dreading this conversation as much as Derek was. “Derek,” Chris said, gesturing for him to sit down opposite him, next to Isaac. Chris tried to think of something to say that sounded sincere, potentially asking if he was okay after Aiden’s death as well as his uncle’s. But dealing with grief by not dwelling on it was what Chris did. What the Argents did. “I’m not going to bother with pleasantries, Derek. I’m sure we owe each other that much to just be honest with one another.”  
Derek nodded, understanding where Chris was coming from. It didn’t so much come across as rude, more like a business deal. Their families had caused each other so much loss, so much pain in the past that, if they couldn’t be friends, at least they could be allies. “Isaac told us about what you said to the pack,” Chris continued. “We agree that the war should end here. But we have no idea what the pack are planning.”  
“Yeah I kind of didn’t think that one through,” Derek admitted, rubbing his face from both tiredness and frustration.   
“You did the right thing, Derek,” Deaton said assertively and Derek looked at him with honest eyes. It was nice to be around someone who knew his family so well, yet reserved all judgements about Peter, and the deterioration of the Hale pack in general.  
Chris agreed. “Dr. Deaton is right. But Jackson and I have been talking and we think it’s a good idea to go to the packs. Properly bring about peace, let them know that we don’t want to kill them and that the feud between humans and werewolves is over.”  
"So you want me to go with you?" Derek asked, his stomach dropping. He didn't want to leave the compound, leave Stiles. But a part of him knew that it was probably for the best.  
"Well having the alpha who called off the feud with us would probably help a lot with getting the packs to agree to peace," Chris explained.  
"What about Scott?" Derek asked at an attempt to show that he truly cared about helping him.  
"I'll be here to help him through everything,” Isaac added, and of course it made sense that Isaac would stay with Scott. Unlike Derek and the twins with Stiles, Danny and Lydia, Isaac’s relationship with Scott was purely platonic, but maybe that’s why it was easier for him to trust him. Which was part of the reason Derek was beating himself up about ever going there with Stiles, despite the happiness and pleasure it had brought him at the time.  
Derek nodded, wishing he didn’t have to leave, but knowing in his heart that it was the right thing to do. “When do we leave?”  
“Tomorrow morning,” Jackson said, getting up and going to the kitchen.   
For some bizarre reason, Derek felt overly protective of Lydia all of a sudden, maybe because of what Stiles had said to her about Jackson at breakfast on the first day he was there. All of that felt like a century ago now.  
Derek’s train of thought was interrupted by the canteen doors swinging open and he turned around to see Ethan walking towards the table sluggishly, as Jackson and Lydia returned from the kitchen, her focus solely on Ethan as the wolf glared at Jackson. The redhead wrapped her arms around Ethan as he put his hand on her back and held her tightly, still looking at Jackson as the boy sat beside Chris.  
Isaac and Derek moved up so Ethan and Lydia could sit beside them, everyone looking at them sympathetically. “So what happens now?” Ethan asked.  
Derek and Chris explained the plan and Ethan nodded. “I guess I’m coming with you then,” the boy said, looking at Derek.  
“You don’t want to stay?” Lydia said, touching the boy’s arm.  
Ethan looked at her apologetically. “I can’t.”  
The girl nodded, looking down and removing her hand from his arm. He put his hand on her back, before getting up and leaving, and it was as if everyone else in the room felt his pain. Derek watched him as he left, and heard him say Scott’s name abruptly as soon as he’d left the canteen. Isaac got up and Derek followed him out of the canteen to see Scott standing in the doorframe of his bedroom. “Hey, guys,” Scott said, smiling despite the pained look on his face and dark circles under his eyes.   
Isaac approached him but thought better of hugging him. “How are you doing?”  
Scott nodded while looking at the floor. “I’m okay.”  
They stood there awkwardly for a while until Scott found the courage to speak. “Ethan I uh… I wanted to talk to you about Aiden.”  
Ethan sighed, the constant reminders of Aiden sacrificing himself for Scott becoming harder to ignore. “Scott, Aiden wasn’t your-”  
“No, not that,” Scott said, obviously also wanting to ignore what he had said last night as he held a gun to his head. “I want to bury him. Next to Allison.”  
Ethan’s heart fell into his stomach and he didn’t know how to respond. “I don’t know what to say.”  
Scott smiled apologetically. “Say that you'll let us. It would put my mind at ease. Maybe even help you deal with the grief, Lydia too.”  
Ethan nodded. “It’s a good idea. Thank you, Scott.”  
“We’ll have to do it today then,” Isaac reminded them.  
Scott looked at Isaac, a confused expression on his face. “What, why?”  
The three wolves looked at each other before Derek took it upon himself to explain. “Chris thinks it’s a good idea to go to each of the packs and make a peace plea. It’ll end the war for good.”  
Scott listened intently and for a while Derek didn't know how he was going to react, until Scott nodded. "Better tell Chris to go start digging then, hadn’t I?” Scott said finally.  
Ethan gave him a curt nod, the emotion of his brother’s death getting to be too much for him at that moment, as he cleared his throat and then walked off. “I suppose you’ll be leaving too then?” Scott said to Isaac, though he didn’t dare to look him in the eye.  
“Actually,” Isaac said, causing Scott to look up at him, “I think they have enough hands on deck. Plus you’re gonna need someone to help you with… Well, you know.”  
Scott nodded solemnly, due to the impending reality of him becoming a werewolf, the very species he was rose to hate. But when he looked up at Isaac, there was nothing but happiness in his eyes about the wolf staying there with him. There was something so special about the relationship between Scott and Isaac, Derek thought. So much so that Isaac could inevitably pull him out of this dark hole he’d created for himself, something that Stiles, Scott’s best friend in the world and the only one whose words could stop Scott from taking his life, couldn’t do. For the most part, it was probably because Isaac wasn’t grieving Allison’s death. He wasn’t sharing Scott’s pain, only helping to deal with it in a way that Lydia, Chris, Jackson, Danny and anyone else who knew her, even Stiles, couldn’t do.  
Seeing the stunned look on Scott’s face, as if he didn’t know what to say, Isaac interjected. “I guess we better go talk to Chris about Aiden.”  
Scott agreed and Derek was going to walk back into the canteen with them, when he remembered that he should probably check on Stiles. “I’m gonna head back to Stiles’ room and check on him,” Derek said, as Scott refused to meet eye contact with him.  
Derek wanted to leave it, especially after everything Scott had been through, but he refused to accept that Scott couldn’t forgive Stiles for trying to find answers about Scott’s mother. “Scott,” Derek said carefully, causing the boy to turn back around. “I’m not gonna pretend to know anything about yours and Stiles’ friendship. But what I do know is that that boy cares about you probably more than anything in this world. Whatever he did and whatever happened, it wasn’t his fault and deep down you know that.”  
Derek could have continued to talk about Stiles having the best intentions and how Allison’s death was not his fault but he knew he’d already pressed the issue enough. “I’ll talk to him,” was all Scott could muster, before turning around and walking into the canteen, met by another hug from Lydia and then from Chris.  
Isaac grabbed Derek’s shoulder and squeezed it, before following Scott into the canteen as Derek made his way back to the room. He walked in to see the floor completely clean, both beds made and Stiles’ board completely clear, the boy sat against the wall on his bed, staring at the blank space. Derek shut the door and Stiles turned to face him, smiling awkwardly. The wolf stood by the door, somewhat unaware of what he should do. Somehow it felt like it was Derek’s first day again as well as feeling like he was stood in front of someone with whom he shared a deep and special past. He was flooded with relief when Stiles nodded to the bed, indicating that Derek should sit with him. He did as Stiles asked and sat down, Stiles dragging his hands around his knees to make more room. “You took it down,” Derek said, referring to the board, at an attempt to start some sort of conversation.  
“Yeah,” Stiles said with a deep sigh. “Fresh start.”  
Derek nodded as he looked at the board, the absence of the strings and articles seeming very weird after spending a weak looking at the organised mess that was there in its place. “I’m sorry,” Stiles said, causing Derek to turn around and, for a moment, he thought it would be to do with them until Stiles said, “about Aiden.”  
There was a long pause before Derek spoke, “Yeah. It’s hit everyone pretty hard, Lydia included. I guess she’s like you,” Derek said, looking around the spotless room.  
“What do you mean?” Stiles asked, inquisitively.   
Derek chuckled a bit. “She likes to keep herself busy. By cleaning.”  
Stiles looked at him, a smile creeping onto his face. “Yeah, she’s a special one.”  
Derek’s smile faded as he continued to look at the boy, who knew where the conversation was going, so he interrupted with another question. “How’s Ethan coping?”  
“He’s not,” Derek admitted. “He’s putting on a brave face but I don’t know how that’ll last today.”  
Stiles’ brows furrowed. “What’s happening today?”  
Derek shook his head, cursing at himself for forgetting to tell Stiles what Scott had said to Ethan. “Scott wants to bury Aiden next to Allison. We would wait but…” Derek trailed off, feeling a pain in his stomach at the thought of leaving without Stiles, so much so that he couldn’t bring himself to tell him about Chris’ plan. “But Scott wants to put his mind at ease. And I know it’s none of my business, but I spoke to him about you… I know that he will forgive you, Stiles, there’s no doubt about it.”  
“You don’t know him like I do. He loved that girl to death,” Stiles said, shaking his head and refusing to look at Derek.  
“But I know you-”  
“Do you?” Stiles snorted, but he was angrier at himself than at the wolf, which made it easier for Derek to continue.  
“Yes,” Derek affirmed. “And I know that you are the best, most loyal friend that anyone could ever have. Scott might find it hard to trust you at first, but he knows that you aren’t to blame for anything. He needs you, Stiles.”  
Stiles nodded but didn’t say anything. “You are not at fault in any of this, Stiles. Do you understand me?” Derek asked abruptly, startling the boy.  
“I understand,” Stiles said, his wide eyes watching Derek as he nodded to him and then got up and walked away from the bed, crossing his arms.  
“Why do you care so much?” Stiles asked.  
Derek closed his eyes and breathed out a heavy sigh before looking over his shoulder slightly. “You know why.”  
“No,” Stiles said brusquely, rising from his bed and walking over to Derek, grabbing his arm and spinning him around. “You don’t get an out. For the first time, tell me the truth. Tell me exactly how you feel. I want to hear you say it.”  
“Fine! You’re loud, obnoxious, and sarcastic. You treated me like crap from the moment I arrived here and, apart from the things I had to ask about, you didn’t dare open up to me about anything to do with Allison’s death,” Derek barked at Stiles.  
“Well, it’s really coming out now isn’t it?” Stiles said, bitterly.  
“But do you know what the worst part is?”  
Stiles shook his head, almost chuckling at the stupidity of the argument. “No, Derek I don’t, why don’t you enlighten me?”  
“The worst part is that I gave up everything! I betrayed my uncle and my pack and through all of that crap, I still managed to fall for you!”  
Stiles stood, frozen while he looked at Derek, unaware of what to do or say. “It’s okay,” Derek said, snapping him out of his daze, though his voice was steady and quiet. “You don’t have to say anything. I know that I’ve done so much that you couldn’t possibly-”  
Derek was going to continue to show that he understood how Stiles didn’t return his feelings, until Stiles pressed his lips to Derek’s in a desperate manner. Before Derek could focus his mind enough to return the kiss, Stiles was pulling away.   
“I don’t know how long it will take me to trust you again. But I think… No I do. I forgive you, Derek. What you did last night… It changed the way I saw you. And I know we could hardly call what we had any sort of relationship but… What I’m saying is, I’m willing to try. I’m willing to try and trust you again. If you’re agreeable.”  
Derek felt all the emotions flood it at once; relief that Stiles forgave him; elation that Stiles returned his feelings; and finally, the pang of guilt in his stomach, that he would have to get up tomorrow and leave Stiles. Which was why he couldn’t bring himself to tell him. Not just yet anyway.  
“I am most definitely agreeable,” Derek said, pulling him into a kiss, and ignoring the gut-wrenching pain of having to leave the boy he’d grown so fond of in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And breathe.


	18. Chapter 18

Derek helped Chris dig up the space next to Allison’s grave, which was only a five minute walk from the compound. Deaton and Danny had spent the day in the infirmary with Aiden’s body, changing his ripped and bloody clothes and cleaning both his wounds and the black blood from his mouth. While they couldn’t afford the luxury of a coffin, they wrapped his body in a white sheet and Lydia gathered as many flowers from outside the compound and placed them around his body. Bobby and Lydia had made food for everyone and carried it the man with him to the burial, where Derek and Chris lowered Aiden’s body into the ground using rope, before handing the shovel to Ethan to start filling the hole. Once he’d done a substantial amount, he passed the shovel to Lydia, who did the same and so on until everyone had paid their respects to Aiden.  
The evening was cold as Ethan sat alone away from the others who were eating food and using lanterns, and the fire that Chris had made, to illuminate the area under the pitch black sky and warm their cold hands.  
Danny walked over to where Ethan was sitting and pulled a bottle of Jack Daniel’s out from his jeans. “So I might have broken the rule about not having any alcohol in the compound, but I’m pretty sure we’re not gonna be under attack tonight.”  
Ethan shook his head taking the bottle from Danny. “Is there anything you can’t get away with?”  
Danny chuckled, sitting down next to him. “I have a criminal record for computer hacking. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”  
“Unfortunately, that’s very true,” Ethan said before looking at the bottle of Jack and frowning. “Oh and uh, werewolf powers make getting drunk kind of… Impossible.”  
Danny shrugged. “Maybe it will take some of the edge off.”  
Ethan mimicked Danny’s action, shrugging his shoulders before taking a swig of the drink. “So then, tell me something I don’t know about you,” he demanded, handing the bottle back to Danny.  
“Well, that didn’t take long,” Danny jested, receiving a shove from Ethan. Danny lifted up his shirt to reveal the scars that Ethan had seen many times and constantly wanted to ask about. “They’re from a surgery I had to correct misshapen cartilage I was born with. I had a bar put in when I was 14. It stayed there for two years to support my sternum, so my heart and lungs wouldn't be crushed.”  
Ethan traced the scar with his finger before Danny pulled down his shirt. "I thought they might have been from... Well you know," Ethan trailed off. Danny had told Ethan about his family, how they were attacked by a pack of wolves and only he escaped, being the youngest and therefore the fastest runner.  
"No I uh... I managed to escape unharmed," Danny said, looking at the ground.  
“Well, what if there was a way you could make them disappear?” Ethan asked, his eyes flashing blue.  
Danny simply shook his head. “I don't really want them to. They make me feel like a survivor.”  
“I really hope you are.”  
Ethan pulled the boy into a passionate kiss, the first one they’d shared since Danny had found out that he was a werewolf. Danny pulled away, frowning, when he felt that he couldn’t keep what he wanted to say bottled up any longer. “What is it?” Ethan asked.  
Danny sighed, not wishing to press the issue, but needing to confront Ethan about it. “Scott told me about you going with Chris and Derek back to the packs.”  
Ethan leaned forward, breathing out a sigh. “I was going to tell you tomorrow. I didn’t want to ruin what little time we have left together.”  
Danny nodded and it made Ethan’s heart melt to see how understanding he was. “So you’re really leaving?”  
“I’m sorry. I just don’t think I can stay.”  
Danny smiled slightly. “Actually, it’s okay.”  
“You’re breaking up with me?” Ethan asked, but he wasn’t upset or angry, more inquisitive.  
“I like you,” Danny said, making the slightest hint of a smile creep onto Ethan’s face. “A lot. You're incredibly good-looking,” the long pause after that sentence earning another shove from Ethan. “And smart and sweet. And I… I just don't think I can do it.”  
“Date me?”  
“Date a werewolf,” Danny confessed and Ethan completely understood.  
Nonetheless, he grabbed the boy’s face and kissed him. They sat there all evening before returning to the group who were sat around the fire, until it got late, and Chris insisted that they all head back to the compound.  
\---  
When Derek and Stiles were about to go to bed Stiles grabbed Derek and pulled him into a kiss. After he pulled away, Derek expected him to say something, but Stiles just stood there a disgruntled look on his face. “What is it?” Derek said, wondering if maybe he regretted what he’d said in the morning.  
“I didn’t want to bring it up,” the boy said, making Derek worry. “But I spoke to Scott when you were talking to Deaton.”  
Derek knew where this was going. Deaton had pulled him aside to tell him how much he reminded him of Talia, and how sorry and upset he was when she passed. They spoke briefly about Derek’s family and the brilliance of the Hale pack before the fire killed Talia and the family, and how Deaton had never forgiven Peter for killing Laura, who he had mentored from a young age. When Derek returned to the group who were sat in a circle around the fire, he could tell Stiles was acting a little differently towards him, but he didn’t think anything of it. Now he realised that Scott must have told him about Derek leaving tomorrow, so he tried to avoid the issue. “Did you sort everything out then?”  
“We’re working on it… But that’s beside the point! Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” Stiles said, looking hurt that Derek would keep it from him.  
Derek frowned, thinking of something to say. “I was going to tell you this morning. But then you told me that you wanted to… You know, to give us a go and I… I just couldn’t bring myself to tell you,” Derek said, almost struggling to get the words out.  
Stiles shook his head. “So, what? You were just gonna leave without a word? I was just going to wake up and find you gone and have Scott tell me that you’d left, for good?”  
"No, of course not!" Derek shouted, causing Stiles to back off. Derek sighed and stepped closer to Stiles, in a more careful manner. "Of course not. I was going to tell you in the morning. So at least we could have tonight together."  
Stiles nodded. "And then what? You get up and leave forever?"  
"Stiles, I don't even want to go at all!" Derek yelled before he could stop himself.  
"What?" Stiles said, looking more surprised than Derek thought he would be. "But you ended the war, surely that's why you're going. To make sure the packs follow through on their end of the bargain."  
"I'm not saying I shouldn't go. Chris was right, it's the best idea, but it was his idea. Not mine. It doesn't mean I want to go."  
"Why not?" Stiles asked.  
Derek shook his head. "Do you honestly have to ask me that?"  
"No but I'd like to hear your answer."  
Derek thought for a moment. "I know I told you that everything I did was for you, and that's true. But it's not just that. When I was here, I didn't just fall for you. Scott, Lydia, even Danny. They touched my heart in a way that I never thought humans could. Maybe if it weren't for you I wouldn't be so adamant on staying. But they're part of the reason I want to stay."  
Stiles nodded, tears welling in his eyes. "I didn't mean to upset you," Derek said, making Stiles laugh.  
"You didn't, I just... I didn't realise we meant so much to you."  
"Let's put it this way," Derek continued. "Not that this is something I want to remind you of, but at the beginning of this week I was ready to come in here and take out the whole camp, finally proving myself to my uncle. And within a few days of knowing you, I turned on my uncle and my pack and ended the feud between humans and werewolves. Even before, I thought it was futile and pathetic. And then when I heard about Allison... And then Aiden too, I just..."  
Stiles closed the space between them and looked into Derek's eyes. "You did the right thing. And I'm... I'm sorry about everything I said. I was angry that you lied to me about the way you felt."  
"Stiles, I never lied-"  
"I know," Stiles interrupted him. "I know that now."  
Derek cupped Stiles' face in his hands but didn't kiss him, he just looked at his stunning brown eyes, his perfect nose and his amazing lips. Stiles smiled and put his hand on Derek's wrist, leaning his cheek into his warm palm as if he never wanted him to stop touching him. Derek leant in and pressed their lips together, staying in that position until Stiles parted his mouth and let the kiss get more passionate, more desperate. Derek walked forward, both of them falling onto the bed, Stiles parting his legs so that Derek could kneel in between them, still fully engrossed in the kiss. Stiles palmed Derek's firm ass as Derek placed one hand on the back of Stiles' neck, sending shivers through his whole body, while the other went underneath his shirt. Derek broke the kiss to suck and nibble at Stiles' throat and neck, marking him as his own now that nobody would be quizzical as to where they came from. Stiles let out a soft moan as Derek moved his hand from Stiles' stomach, down to his dick, running and stroking it through his jogging bottoms. That made Stiles moan even louder and Derek pulled off his bottoms as Stiles took off his shirt, Derek then doing the same. Derek got Stiles' dick out, licking up its shaft as Stiles ran his fingers through Derek's hair. He used his hand to toss Stiles off as he licked the slit of his cock, which drove Stiles crazy. Then he put his mouth over the top of Stiles' dick sucking him off slowly at first, until going faster and further down his dick. Stiles tightened his grip on Derek's hair as he deep-throated Stiles' cock earning a loud moan from the boy. "Holy god, Derek, don't stop."  
Derek obeyed and went faster, violently sucking Stiles' cock, licking it with his tongue, rubbing wet red lips all over it and going so deep that he was almost choking until Stiles let out an uncontrollably loud moan and came in Derek's mouth. Stiles let his head fall onto the pillow as Derek kissed his dick violently for good measure and went to rub his thumb over Stiles' hole through his boxers, until Stiles grabbed Derek's wrist and stopped him. "Wait, wait," Sties said.  
"What is it?" Derek said, climbing to lie beside him when he sensed Stiles' anxiety.  
"It's just... I really need this to not be about sex."  
Derek felt almost hurt by that, but he knew that Stiles had a reason to feel that way. "Stiles, it was never about-"  
"I know that now but, when I found about you... about what you were, I thought that it was all just a lie. And, honestly that felt like crap and I know I said that I forgive you, which I do it's just... I need to just take this really slow."  
Derek nodded looking down at his bare body, apart from his boxers, until realising how hard he still was and how he was not going to let Stiles get away with not returning the favour. "Hopefully not too slow," Derek said, earning a quizzical look from the boy.  
Derek leaned forward and kissed Stiles' neck and up to his ear, before whispering, "Finish me off, then."  
Stiles snorted and looked at Derek disappointedly. "How romantic," Stiles jested, but it didn't stop him from fulfilling Derek's request and wrapping his hand around his firm cock.  
Stiles continued to toss Derek off as he nibbled and sucked at Stiles' neck, his beard leaving a pleasant sensation over Stiles' skin. He knew when Derek was about to come by the sound of his breath hitching, as well as his teeth biting down harder into Stiles' skin, leaving a bright red mark. After Stiles cleaned his hand up, they lay in bed just looking at each other, stealing a few kisses here and there, some pecks, some long heart-warming kisses, until both of them drifted off to sleep.  
\---  
In the morning, Derek woke up alone in his bed. When he had woken up enough to move, he turned around to see Stiles sat cross legged on his bed, watching Derek. The alarm clock hadn’t hit 6:30 and yet Stiles looked like he was fully awake. “How long have you been up?” Derek asked, his voice hoarse from sleep. Plus the amazing blowjob he gave last night.  
Stiles shrugged. "Only an hour or so," he said, until he saw Derek still looking at him so he continued. "I couldn't sleep. And I... I wanted to make sure I was up before you left."  
"And you assumed we'd leave at 6:30?" Derek jested, though he was saddened that Stiles was so worried about him leaving that he'd lost sleep over it. Although, Derek thought that maybe it was because of Scott too.  
When Stiles smiled but didn't reply, Derek saw it as an opportunity to ask about it properly. He got up and went over to Stiles' bed, perching on the side of it as Stiles leaned forward. "So uh, I know I asked last night but how did your talk with Scott go?"  
Stiles sighed deeply, playing with a piece of red string that he had obviously missed when cleaning the wall. Or kept as a reminder of his hard work. "I used to be able to read that boy like a book but... Right now I have no idea what's going on in his head. He's talking to me, but I honestly think he'd just feel bad about himself if he didn't. Like he's not being loyal or something... It's hardly as if I've been loyal to him is it?"  
Derek shook his head. "There's a big difference between disloyalty and keeping the truth from him to spare him the misery and heartbreak of what happened."  
"But what if I had said no to Chris? What if I told him not to go? Deucalion would never have found us and Allison would still be alive."  
"Don't you dare!" Derek shouted, swinging his legs round to sit up properly and face the boy. "That is not on you, okay Stiles!"  
"You weren't there, Derek!"  
"But I know what happened," Derek said, still furious at Stiles for blaming himself, but calm and more controlled. "And I know that you would sooner die than see any of your friends get hurt. You proved that when you put your life on the line to talk Scott off the ledge."  
Stiles nodded, rubbing his face, possibly to stop himself from crying. Derek knew he'd hit a nerve with Stiles, but in the best possible way. He had to finally tell Stiles how in awe he was of him, even if that meant lecturing him about something that Derek may not have the right to.  
Not wishing to carry on the conversation, Stiles looked at the clock. "So what time are you guys leaving?"  
Derek sighed. "Chris said that we should probably aim to get out of here by nine o'clock if we have any hope of making it to the pack before they all move out their troops," he said regretfully, as the time was creeping up to 7:00.  
"Better get you some breakfast then," Stiles said, sliding off the bed.  
\---  
Having breakfast in the canteen, the first proper meal they'd had there since the majority of the camp had been killed, was even weirder than Derek had expected. For once, Bobby was sat at the table, after he'd finished making enough scrambled egg for twelve people. They'd run low on bread and so Bobby intended on making it a first-come-first-served situation until Scott arrived and he gave most of it to him at some attempt at sympathy. Stiles slapped Scott on the back and sat next to him, Derek going further down the table to sit with Ethan, Danny and Lydia. He wanted to sit with Stiles, as he didn't know if this was the last meal he would ever have with him. But he knew that Stiles mending his relationship with Scott was more important than his stupid, selfish feelings. Cora sat beside Deaton, who had taken a real liking to her, most probably because she reminded him of Laura and how she was as a young girl. The conversations were quite dull, and everyone seemed very glum, the events of the previous two evenings having taken their toll on everyone. That was until everyone heard Stiles raise his voice at Scott, and Derek didn’t like what he heard. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”  
Scott tried to hush him and, by the looks of it, have a civilised conversation with him, but Stiles wasn't having any of it. “This is a joke,” he said resentfully, before standing up and walking away from the table.  
“Stiles!” Scott called after him, following the boy out of the canteen.  
When he walked through the doors, Stiles was still heading off down the corridor but Scott stopped him. “Stiles, can we please just sit down and have a normal conversation about this?”  
“First Derek lies to me about leaving and then you do too. Do you know how humiliating it was for Chris to tell me that you were planning on going with him over breakfast. He was the one to tell me, not you,” Stiles snapped, going to walk away again.  
Scott walked after him again, grabbing him by the arm and turning him around. Stiles went to swat his hand away but Scott snatched his other wrist and held it firmly. “Wow,” Stiles said. “I see the wolf powers have set in. Those super-fast reflexes must really come in handy.”  
Scott let go of Stiles and backed off a bit, taking advantage of the boy having calmed down. “Can we talk please?”  
Stiles didn’t rebuff him and so Scott walked to his bedroom for them to talk. Scott sat on the bed, offering for Stiles to sit beside him, but he stayed standing opposite the bed. “Go on then, explain. Why would you want to leave?”  
Scott nodded. He understood Stiles’ anger, but he still had so much of his own. “Chris thinks that Peter Hale’s… that if I was turned by Peter then maybe the packs would be more convinced that the feud is over. The leader of the biggest camp in the resilience becoming a werewolf is sure to shock the packs.”  
“So you’re just going to bow down to Chris and go,” Stiles replied. "Go with your new best friend Isaac, who you hated up until two days ago-”  
Scott shook his head, looking at the boy. “Why can’t you trust anyone?”  
“Because you trust everyone!” Stiles shouted, making Scott jump.  
Scott sank into the bed and Stiles rubbed his face, frustrated and wishing that he wasn’t having this conversation with his best friend in the world.  
“I just can’t stay here, Stiles,” Scott confessed, his voice as quiet as a whisper, and on the verge of breaking. “There are too many memories. Too much pain.”  
That’s what made Stiles finally understand why Scott wanted to leave. But he still couldn’t let him do it. “And you think going with Chris is going to help you forget about Allison.”  
“Or staying here with you?” Scott said, before he could stop himself.  
It was like a dagger in Stiles’ heart. “You want to leave because of me?”  
Scott shook his head, and looked at the ground. “That’s not what I meant. I know that what happened wasn’t your fault, Stiles. I don’t blame you for Allison but…”  
“But what?” Stiles asked, unable to take the anticipation.  
Scott looked up at him then, rising from the bed. “But you lied to me. You lied to me about my mother, you lied to me about Deucalion-”  
“We didn’t know who he was then.”  
“But you still lied, Stiles! You went after him without me, and Allison died! And you continued to lie to me about it for months afterwards! Do you have any idea how that feels?”  
Stiles knew that he was wrong, but he knew why he did what he did. “We were trying to protect you, we all were.”  
“Why? So I wouldn’t have to face the fact that I was the reason my mother died?! The reason Allison died!”  
Stiles just looked at Scott who collapsed on the bed, his head in his hands. “Scott… Scott you know that’s not true.”  
“Isn’t it? Deucalion was looking for me. And I wasn’t there to protect her.”  
Stiles shook his head, walking towards Scott and sitting beside him. “Allison’s death is not on you. Neither is your mother’s. They both died because of this feud. And it’s over now, Scott. But I… I need you to stay. You’re my best friend Scott. I don’t know if I can do this without you.”  
Scott looked at his best friend, about to speak when someone knocked on the door. “Scott, Stiles, open up,” Chris said from outside.  
Scott got up and opened it. “You’re not going,” Chris said definitively.  
“But I thought-”  
“I talked it over with Deaton. If you’re going to learn the basics of adapting to… you know, then you’re gonna need to do it here, with Isaac by your side. And your best friends to help you,” he said looking at Stiles.  
Scott nodded and so Chris left the room, closing the door behind him. Stiles sat where Scott had been sitting on the bed as Scott thought of something to say, until Stiles spoke, interrupting his train of thought. “So how much do you wanna bet Chris was listening to that whole conversation?”  
"It's pretty likely," Scott said, leaning against the door with a smile.  
There was a pause before Scott spoke again, and Stiles had never been so relieved to hear what he wanted to say. "I'm sorry, Stiles. All this time I was trying to move on from what happened... Try to get over Allison, but Chris is right. You're right. Even after I found out the truth, I never wanted to lose you Stiles, I was... I was just angry and I felt betrayed. But you're my best friend Stiles. And I need you too."  
Before Scott could say anything else, Stiles was leaping up from the bed and pulling his best friend into a tight hug, relief and happiness filling his whole body. When they stopped hugging, Scott chuckled and how sentimental and sensitive they were acting, earning a shove from Stiles. Scott opened the door to see essentially all of the camp standing outside the door, trying to act as if they had been talking amongst themselves, but were evidently only there to listen in on the rest of their conversation. It didn't bother Stiles much but he simply made a sarcastic remark before walking into the canteen. "Children."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sciles is just my brotp for life tbh and it should be yours too.


	19. Chapter 19

Stiles realised that Lydia wasn't in the hall and so wanted to check up on her, seeing as he hadn't spoken to her since Aiden's funeral the night before, and even then it was only briefly. The canteen was empty apart from her, and she was in the kitchen seemingly still cleaning up from breakfast, despite the already pristine state of the canteen. "Hey, Lyds," Stiles said, walking over to where she was vigorously cleaning the spotless worktop.  
She stopped cleaning when she noticed his eyes on her and tossed the wet cloth into the sink, drying the surface with a tea towel. "Oh, hey. Are you okay now?"  
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, it's all good. That was actually what I was going to ask you. How are you doing?"  
Lydia didn't look at the boy, merely focusing on folding up the tea towel and placing it on the worktop. "I'll cope," was all that she could muster.  
"Lyds, I-"  
"I actually wanted to talk to you about something," Lydia interrupted before Stiles could lecture her.  
Stiles sighed. "Jesus. Two heartfelt conversations in one morning."  
"I'm being serious, Stiles," Lydia said with a calm tone of voice, but her face was completely solemn.  
"I know," Stiles replied. "Go on."  
Lydia looked at the boy and then looked at the floor. "I consider you one of my closest friends here, Stiles."  
"Yeah and I do too," Stiles said, unable to see where she was going with this.  
Lydia looked up at him again, her eyes red with the desire to let out her tears and seemingly on the verge of doing so. "Just hear me out. You're one of my closest friends and I know that... That you used to like me. A lot. And at the time I was with Jackson and I... I probably didn't treat you very nicely," Lydia said guiltily, unable to stop a tear from rolling down her pale cheek.  
"Lydia, none of that matters now."  
"It matters to me, Stiles," the girl retorted, earning a pained look from Stiles as if he didn't want her to continue blaming herself. But she had to get this off of her chest. "Just let me finish. I knew that you liked me for a long time, even after things ended with Jackson. And maybe I waited too long. I didn't see the caring, amazing person who had been so loyal to me for so long. And then we both found someone else. I found Aiden. I fell in love with him and..." Lydia said, her voice finally cracking and the tears streaming down her face.  
Stiles wiped the tears from her cheeks and put his palms on either side of her neck, still wiping the tears that fell. "And you found Derek. You've found someone who really cares about you Stiles, someone who sees you for how loyal, sensitive and amazing you are and I'm... I'm so happy for you," Lydia finally breathed out between sobs, able to now break down and let out all of the tears she had been fighting.  
Stiles pulled the girl into a hug, wrapping his arms around her tightly and kissing her forehead as she sobbed into his chest. When she stopped crying, content in his arms for the good few minutes that she let out the tears, they walked together out of the canteen and she gave Stiles one final kiss on the cheek before walking into Scott's room where he and Isaac were sat on the bed talking.  
Stiles took the walk back to his own room to reflect on what had just happened. For most of Stiles' life, he wished that Lydia would someday return his affections. While he no longer carried those affections for her, despite his undying loyalty to the girl, it was have Stiles such closure to know that, at some point, Lydia also felt the same way about him. What Stiles also knew for sure, was that she was right. He knew that Lydia loved Aiden. And that Stiles, himself, loved Derek. Which meant that he was absolutely screwed.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sterek fics aren't complete without a little bit of Stydia angst. *pops confetti*


	20. Chapter 20

When Stiles entered his room, Derek was finishing all of his packing. If anything could put a damper on his good mood, it was watching the boy that he loved getting ready to leave.  
"I assumed I could use this?" Derek said, without looking up at Stiles, as he closed up the duffel bag that the boy had given him on the first night he'd arrived.  
"Yeah of course. Use whatever you need," Stiles replied. "I still can't believe you have to leave."  
Derek picked up the duffel and put it by the door, all the while still looking at the ground. "Well you better believe it, because it's happening."  
Ouch. Stiles had no idea where that had come from, but something had obviously pissed Derek off. "I know, I just... I don't want it too," Stiles said, unaware of what he could say.  
"Yeah," Derek said, picking up the duffel and going to leave the room, "Neither did I."  
"And now you do?" Stiles questioned him, blocking the door and trying to discover what was wrong with him.  
Derek sighed. "Stiles, don't make it harder than it has to be. Just let me go."  
"Is that physically or figuratively speaking?"  
Derek shrugged, not looking at him. "Both."  
Stiles stomach dropped. It was as if the past two days hadn't happened and they were still at each other's throats. He couldn't comprehend why Derek was being like this and, more than anything, he really couldn't handle it. "So what? You just walk out of that door and I never see you again. No goodbye? Nothing?"  
"I guess."  
The boy was getting frustrated now, trying desperately to discover what he had done. "Why?" Stiles asked, sternly, trying to hold back his emotions.  
"Do you really want to do this?" Derek asked, looking Stiles in the eyes.  
Stiles shrugged and shook his head as if asking what Derek could possibly be going on about.  
"I saw you with Lydia."  
Stiles' brows furrowed. "She wanted to talk to me. She was upset and I comforted her."  
Derek chuckled, dumping the bag on his bed and making Stiles jump. "Oh yeah you comforted her, alright. Who knew that you held everyone's face in their hands while they cried, right? Maybe it's your tell," Derek said, trying not to break down, himself.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Don't tell me that that scene wasn't followed by a passionate kiss, because I know that it's your move, Stiles."  
Stiles scoffed in such a confused manner. "Firstly, I can tell you that because it's the absolute truth. I did not kiss Lydia. And I don't have a tell or a move, okay Derek? I'm sorry if I comforted one of my closest friends as she wept about the death of the boy she loved. If you only knew what we were talking about..." Stiles trailed off, looking to the ground.  
"I heard what you were talking about, Stiles. How she regretted never confessing her love to you. I mean I don't blame you. It doesn't take a genius to know how much you worship her. And now you know that she shared those feelings. So what's stopping you, right?"  
Stiles shook his head. "You've got it all wrong."  
"Then why don't you tell me what it was? Tell me what she wanted so desperately to talk to you about, Stiles, if it wasn't that."  
Stiles looked at him, his frustration and anger finally bubbling over. "She wanted to tell me she was happy that I had moved on! That I had finally given up hope of us ever being together, which I had some long before you came along. She said she was happy that I had actually fallen in love with someone else!" Stiles shouted, before he could take it back.  
Derek merely stood there, stunned by what Stiles had confessed.  
"What?"  
Stiles ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I loved Lydia for basically all of my life. I watched her being used by guys who would treat her like crap and walk all over her. And then when she met Aiden I thought it would be the same. Just dealing with her grief over Allison by sleeping around and always having someone to hold her. But hey, at least it wasn't Jackson, right? Until I realised that he wasn't just another Jackson. She loved him, and he loved her. And I didn't care. Because by that time, I'd already fallen for you."  
Derek looked so guilty that he didn't know what to do with himself. "I'm sorry," Derek apologised, not daring to look at Stiles again. "I guess your past just made me think that you would always have feelings for her. I didn't think I'd have the right to get angry because you finally decided to pursue things-"  
"You would have every right to get angry," Stiles said, moving closer to Derek. "I may have loved her once, but I don't anymore. And I don't even know if you could call it love. Unrequited love or infatuation maybe but... Derek I've never felt this way about someone before. The way I do with you."  
Derek couldn't even comprehend what was going on. He was so overcome with emotion that he didn't know what to say. But he knew he had to make Stiles feel a bit less lonely in his feelings. "I've never had very good experience with love. When I was sixteen I was sure that I was in love with this girl I met at school. Her name was Paige. She was smart, pretty, and talented but she kept to herself. She didn't mind telling me where to go when I disrupted her music practice though," Derek chuckled. "Long story short, she got hurt pretty badly and my uncle convinced me that there was only one way to save her. So I turned her. Except, she was so badly injured that she rejected the bite. I suppose you might have wondered why my eyes were blue."  
Stiles shook his head. "I just assumed it was from the feud."  
"I never killed an innocent human during the war, Stiles. It's important to me that you know that. I only killed those who deserved it, or those who had killed others. The innocent life I took... It was Paige's. She was in so much pain. She just wanted the suffering to stop so I... I had to..." Derek trailed off, unable to carry on.  
"It's okay," Stiles said. "I don't blame you for what you did, Derek. To me, it sounds very brave."  
Derek looked at Stiles as if the boy couldn't have said anything better at that moment. "After that I guess I was like Lydia. I just didn't allow myself to heal. I got with any person who would show me a bit of sympathy, no matter how vile and evil they turned out to be. Kate, Jennifer... The list goes on."  
"Yeah I don't think I want to know about all your previous conquests, Derek," Stiles jested.  
Derek simply shook his head. "What I'm saying is... I've never felt this way about someone before either. In a way, you've taught me what it means to love someone, Stiles."  
And that was all that Stiles could take. He grabbed Derek's face in his hands and kissed him so desperately that they both got hard in a matter of seconds. They both took off their clothes and Stiles pushed Derek onto the bed, still kissing him passionately and without stopping. And now it was Stiles' turn to have some fun. He slipped one finger into Derek's hole, still totally engrossed in the kiss. By the time he'd slipped two fingers in, fingering Derek's fast and deep, the man had flipped onto his knees, spreading himself in front of Stiles. When Derek was ready, Stiles rubbed the tip of his cock up and down Derek's ass before pushing it into his hole as they both let out a moan. Stiles shallow fucked him at first, before thrusting his dick in even deeper, hitting Derek's prostate and making him moan even louder. Derek turned his head around to kiss Stiles over his shoulder, as Stiles traced his hand over Derek's neck and chest before moving it down to grasp at Derek's pulsing dick. He jerked him off while fucking him hard, causing Derek to let out a loud moan. "Holy fuck, Stiles," he groaned, before he came onto the bed and Stiles' hand.  
Stiles still fucked him slowly before pulling his cock out and coming over Derek's ass. They got themselves cleaned up but didn't get dressed, simply lying in bed naked, their legs entwined and arms around each other, stealing as many kisses as possible. "I don't ever want this to end," Derek marked, cursing himself on the inside for being so soppy and pathetic.  
“And you have to leave in fifteen minutes,” Stiles said, peeking over at the alarm clock.  
Derek tutted and rolled his eyes, mostly because he wanted nothing more than to stay there, but somewhat because of Stiles having to bring it up at that exact moment. “Wow. Way to kill the moment,” he jested, earning a violent nudge in the chest from the boy, almost winding him. “Whoa! Already finding hard to breathe as it is without you attacking me.”  
“Yeah,” Stiles said, looking at him mischievously. “That usually happens when you get fucked in the ass.”  
Derek tried to deny it, but he completely and utterly fell into that one, so he merely stared at the boy, his blank, disapproving face being enough of a humorous reaction. Stiles looked at Derek for a moment longer before standing up and put his clothes back on. Derek watched him for a bit but, when Stiles refused to meet his eye contact, he did the same, getting completely ready to leave. He added a few more things to his bag that Stiles had given him, like extra clothes and other things, mostly just to keep him there for even a moment longer. Derek was zipping up the bag when Stiles suddenly broke the silence. "Come back."  
Derek stood up from where he was kneeling and turned to face the boy, who seemed to be looking at him pleadingly. "What made you think that that wasn't the plan?" Derek asked, because what else could he say? He had no idea if he'd make it out alive and, if he did, whether he'd be returning.  
"Just try to come back. For me," Stiles said looking to the ground. "And if not for me then for Scott. I mean I know he's got Isaac, but you definitely seem like the more skilled fighter."  
"Stiles, I-"  
"And Lydia too, I know she'll need all the advice she can get-"  
"Stiles," Derek said firmly, his baritone voice shutting Stiles up finally. "I don't know what will happen. I don’t know if the packs will accept the plea or if I’ll get out alive. I don’t want to make you any promises I can’t keep.”  
Stiles nodded, still not meeting his eye contact. “I understand.”  
“But I can promise,” Derek said, stepping forwards, “that I will try all I can to come back. Even if I’m needed there or if it’s the worse choice to leave. I’ll come back for you Stiles.”  
Stiles put his hands on Derek’s face before kissing him softly and then pulling away. It made Derek’s heart leap when he thought about how, even though he had to leave, his relationship with Stiles had turned out better than he ever would have imagined. “I don’t deserve you,” Stiles said, interrupting Derek’s train of thought.  
Derek had so much he wanted to say to that, but he chose to say one thing. “You deserve the world.”  
They embrace for a while, until Derek picked up his bag and left the room with Stiles for the very last time.  
\---  
At the East entrance, everyone had gathered to give them a send-off. Cora was saying goodbye to Deaton, having decided to move back to South America, where she had lived in her six year absence. Derek tried to convince her to go with him, but she felt like she had to move on alone. She understood why Derek did what he did, but her desire to be with her family had been crushed when Peter was killed and at the hand of the only remaining family she had left, no less. Ethan was stood by Lydia who was talking with him, but Derek couldn't see Danny anywhere. Chris and Jackson came and took the bags off of Derek and Ethan and went to load them into the trucks. "No Danny?" Derek asked Ethan as he clapped him on the back as an attempt at sympathy.  
"We've already said our goodbyes," Ethan said sadly, but not in a heartbroken way, more regretful that he couldn't bring himself to stay. "Besides it's not like I'm planning on coming back. Whereas you have every reason to," Ethan said, looking over to Stiles who was stood with Scott, before walking away.  
For Derek, it seemed ironic that Ethan saw his and Stiles relationship as more of a reason to come back than his own relationship with Danny, considering they were practically boyfriends from the moment the twins arrived. It just made Derek realise how much Aiden's death had affected him, seeing as he was willing to give up the first real thing he'd found in a long time. He snapped out of his daze when Lydia finally spoke. "So, I guess I should probably apologise for trying to shoot you."  
Derek chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. "Yeah that would be nice."  
"I'm sorry," Lydia said as she pulled a piece of hair behind her ear. "For giving you a hard time about Stiles as well. But I uh... I meant what I said Derek. I'm really happy for you."  
Derek nodded, smiling at the girl and extending a hand to her. She simply rolled her eyes and batted his hand away, before embracing him in a hug, and Stiles did a double take before walking over to Derek as Lydia walked away. "So either I'm seeing things or you just hugged Lydia," the boy jested.  
"Well technically she hugged me," Derek explained. "But yeah I was just as shocked as you, believe me."  
Before Stiles could even reply Chris and Jackson were walking back through the door. "Right. Hope everybody's ready to go," Chris said before going over to Scott and hugging him and then greeting everyone else goodbye one by one.  
Stiles grabbed Derek and pulled him into a tight hug, holding on for dear life whilst everyone spoke around them. When everyone had given their farewells Stiles pulled away, still looking at Derek. The wolf was going to simply walk away then, the threat of his emotions getting the better of him or becoming too much to handle. Until Stiles pulled Derek into a kiss in front of everyone. They heard a few whispers and sounds, including Scott and Isaac clearing their throats and trying to start a different conversation as well as a little giddy whimper from Lydia. But neither of them cared what anybody thought. Stiles didn't care what anybody thought. And that made Derek just fall in love with him even more by the second.  
When they broke the kiss, they kept their foreheads pressed together momentarily before Stiles moved back and dusted off the man's jacket and then looked him in the eye and said, "Come back."  
Derek didn't even have to think of a reply before saying, "I promise."  
Everyone exited the compound, even Danny who made a guest appearance to watch Ethan off, and stood outside the East entrance, where everything had happened that night. For Danny and Derek too, it became so understandable why Ethan had to leave. The memory of what happened here was just too much for him to handle. Derek and Ethan got in the back of the truck with Cora in between them and Jackson in the passenger seat next to Chris. Stiles watched the truck as it drove away from the compound, hoping and praying that he'd be seeing the man he loved again yet not knowing if he'd even make it out alive.  
But for Derek, one thing was for sure; he knew he had to come back for Stiles, for the boy he'd fallen in love with. After all, he had a promise to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's been a wild ride. I don't know when I shall be posting the second fic in this series but I will start writing it as soon as possible :)


End file.
